For Olympian Erin Jackson, speed skating has given her more than a gold medal – it’s instilled in her a passion for serving communities and empowering the next generation of Winter Olympians.
When Jackson crossed the finish line to claim gold in the 500m at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, she was oblivious to the fact she had just made history– becoming the first Black American woman to win an individual event at the Winter Olympics.
It wasn’t until several days later she found out she hadn’t just become a gold medalist, but an athlete who minorities would look up to for years to come.
“That was a really surprising stat because I thought, ‘How could that even be true?’” Jackson said. “We’ve had the Winter Olympics for so long, how has there not been another African American gold medalist?”
For Jackson, this moment sparked a realization about the lack of representation in winter sports.
“I started thinking, ‘We’ve got to do something to get more representation,’” Jackson said. “Hopefully people will see the success of other minority athletes in the winter sports, and think, ‘Oh, maybe I can try these things too.’”
Cost remains one of the biggest barriers to representation in winter sports. A single pair of skating boots can cost $2,500. Blades, which skaters need several sets of, cost about $1,000 each. Suits can range from $700 to $2,000, while ice time can cost $400 per month. These costs are before factoring in private coaching, travel costs or additional gear, such as gloves, goggles, or undergarments for extra warmth.
When Jackson first began her speed skating career, she faced many of the same financial obstacles that athletes encounter today.
“When I first started, I didn’t have suits, because they are really expensive,” Jackson said. “I actually went on eBay and found some random suits from some Russian guy who was selling them for about $250 each, which is a really big steal.”
Jackson wore these suits for nearly two years before people began donating suits or she received free suits from the national team. Today, Jackson does the same for younger generations– giving them hand-me-down suits and equipment.
In the future, Jackson hopes to create her own organization dedicated to increasing minority representation in winter sports. Her goal is to introduce speed skating to kids and provide them with access to equipment, ice time and coaching.
“In my area, the minorities have become the majority,” Jackson said. “I think even just starting close to home would be really good to get kids interested in starting out on roller skates, because that’s probably the most cost-effective way to start.”
Jackson lives in West Valley City, Utah, which is located just 10 miles outside of Salt Lake City– the host of the 2034 Winter Olympics.
This vision, however, cannot be brought to life alone. Over the years, Jackson has shared her ideas with many who have been a part of her speed skating journey, and she has received nothing but support.
“Chris Needham, who recruited me into the sport of speed skating on ice, said that he’d be very interested in helping me get this going,” Jackson said. “He’s done a lot of work with recruitment, so he has a lot of background in this.”
Another of Jackson’s supporters is Derek Parra, manager of the Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City. Parra has offered to provide rink time for Jackson’s athletes once they are ready to transition from roller to ice skating.
Jackson has found inspiration for her vision in Annette Diggs, founder and CEO of EDGE Outdoors, an organization dedicated to increasing involvement in outdoor recreation, particularly in snow sports, for women of color. Jackson’s years of involvement in this organization have influenced her own dreams of founding a similar initiative centered on speed skating.
“We talked a lot about this when I first met her,” Jackson said. “She said that she’d always be there as a resource for me.”
Jackson is also active with the Sisters in Sports Foundation, founded by four-time Paralympian Danelle Umstead. The organization empowers and unites women with disabilities by providing resources and mentorship to these athletes. While Jackson cannot serve as a mentor herself, she contributes through sponsorship work, fundraisers and promoting the foundation.
In many ways, Jackson’s desire to help others mirrors the generosity shown to her when she nearly missed the opportunity to compete at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. After slipping in the 500m at U.S. Olympic Team Trials and missing qualification despite being ranked No. 1 in the world, fellow Olympian and teammate Brittany Bowe selflessly gave up her spot, allowing Jackson to compete and make history.
The two have always had a close bond, as they grew up roller skating together in their hometown of Ocala, FL.
“When I was growing up, she was a world champion inline skater, so I would see her winning all these competitions all around the world,” Jackson said. “Then she would come home and skate on my team, which I thought was just the coolest thing. I’ve always looked up to her.”
Today, the two still work side by side not only in the rink, but through the Sisters in Sports Foundation.
For now, Jackson’s mind is set on Milano Cortina 2026, where she is expected to compete in the 500m as a serious medal contender. Whether or not this will be her final Olympics is uncertain, but the next chapter of her life – dedicated to serving the next generation of athletes – will wait for her at the finish line.
Throughout the winter, in a series called Hometown Hopefuls, NBC is spotlighting the stories of Olympic and Paralympic athletes from across the United States as they work towards the opportunity to represent their country at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. We’ll learn about their paths to their sports’ biggest stage, the communities that have been formative along the way, and the causes they’re committed to in their hometowns and around the world. Visit nbcsports.com/hometown-hopefuls for more stories on the road to Milan Cortina.
