Kent State grad and Columbus native Keri Richmond is CEO of Keri Hope CO and co-founder of Unbelievably Resilient.
There is something special about seeing someone from your hometown become an Olympian.
Born three years apart in Columbus, Simone Biles and I experienced the same foster care system.
I watched Simone capture the world's attention with her incredible physical wins, but what stands out to me is her mental strength. As a foster kid-turned-child welfare and mental health advocate, here are the key takeaways I hope people have when they hear her story.
Foster children are no stranger to trauma.
After Simone's withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics, what's remarkable about her comeback is her focus on mental health. Her journey highlights the often misunderstood or ignored reality of trauma. Instead of viewing foster children who find success as anomalies, we need to embrace the idea that every child has unlimited potential when given the skills and tools to cope.
Simone was placed in foster care when she was 3 years old. I was just 3 days old.
The common misconception that trauma experienced at a young age does not have a lasting impact because the child won't remember it could not be farther from the truth. Research shows that the first three years of life are the most critical for brain development.
When I was 4 years old, a psychiatrist said I was already at risk of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Foster care alumni are 25% more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD, twice as much as veterans. Caring, consistent connections are crucial in helping young people in foster care combat the effects of trauma and build resilience. Thinking back to my childhood, I would not be the successful young woman I am today without my support system.
When kids cannot stay with their parents, we must prioritize keeping them connected to aunts, uncles, grandparents and other relatives.
Popular narratives usually portray children adopted by strangers, but children fare better when placed with family, a concept known as kinship care. Simone was adopted by her grandparents and to this day consistently credits her family for her success.
In 2021, the same year Simone withdrew from the Olympics, the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a state of emergency in children and adolescent mental health.
This crisis is widespread, but it is particularly acute among foster youth, who often lack the support systems their peers have. Nearly 80% of the foster care population have significant mental health issues, compared to 18-22% of the general population.
When Simone took home her gold medals this year, it was clear that her mental health is a top priority.
She had a therapy session the morning of one of her Olympic performances and posted a picture of herself meditating before going on the floor captioned "mental health matters." Understanding the full scope of her story, it becomes clear how her time spent healing strengthened her comeback in 2024.
Simone's journey, and my own through foster care, taught me three important lessons:
I dream of a world where foster children are seen, heard and cared for with the same respect as an Olympian. Children are our future athletes, doctors, mechanics, artists, voters and leaders.
From one former foster kid to another, thank you, Simone, for showing other children that "being in foster care isn't going to be your only title."
Kent State grad and Columbus native Keri Richmond is a foster care advocate, international speaker, and podcast host championing the power of lived experience in Washington DC to influence policy on child welfare and health. As CEO of Keri Hope CO and co-founder of Unbelievably Resilient, she strategically leverages authentic storytelling to reshape perceptions of foster care, making a tangible impact on children and families.