Swimming UPSTREAM

By: Ashton Smith

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Life happens to all of us − sometimes they’re difficult situations; sometimes they’re bad situations; sometimes they’re great situations. But, regardless, we have My name is Ashton Smith, a Gold Medalist in Swimming in the arena of the disabled. I’ve had the privilege of competing in the World Games, Dubai and in Seattle, at a National US Games. It is a unique honor and I am truly blessed to have accomplished that feat, which is especially amazing since I am a legally blind African-American female. Many things stick out in my journey from hometown hero to homeless, world-class gold medalist despite having a limiting disability. My road to greatness started when I was nine years old. As a “Differently Abled” person, I found myself being left out of events, overlooked, and under picked. To say it caused inner trauma would be putting it mild. I learned to cope by escaping into swimming, which can be a team sport or an individual one. I found myself at the YMCA in Waxahachie almost daily. Once I discovered the water, I was naturally drawn to it. It’s a myth that Black people can’t swim. The truth is, there are not enough aquatic facilities in black communities. Once the staff at the Y saw I loved to swim, they encouraged, empowered, and enabled me to train and blossom into that youth capable enough to capture a spot on the Special Olympics team.