National Geographic Presents: IMPACT with Gal Gadot

"I want them to feel like they don't have to conceal

what they love or who they are to conform".

This is Kameryn's wish for the girls she coaches as a

figure skater and life role model,

as she reminds them to always embrace their beauty,

their joy and their sense of self,

on and off the ice.

This is 'Kameryn's impact'.

ALIVYA (off-screen): Why? Why? Why?

We had protests, we had speeches,

great leaders trying to reach us;

there's 1,000 things I can think of, but no.

We're still asking the same question.

Why?

This world seems so hopeless, is what I'm saying so out of focus?

Let me break it down.

Violence is not the way.

It's a shame that an eight-year-old is telling you this,

because this should have already been on your list.

Let me say it one more time.

Violence is not the way.

Is it true, that I'd be more respected if I were blue?

Because I'm still on Chapter One,

and I don't know if I wanna go to Two.

I don't know why this world can't find their inner peace.

Because I just wanna walk down the street,

and find a place where happiness,

and inner peace meet.

Cassidy, go all the way down that way on the grass.

Now you can put your mask in your pocket.

Okay. Let's start with this.

.

And it's cold! I know it's cold.

That's okay, we're gonna warm up!

Keep going!

What?

Come on!

We're warming up.

No, we're not!

This is colding up!

Okay.

Indiyah, next to Livvie.

Karrington, Jessica, go sit down there.

You doing okay, Jessica?

.

You okay? Oop.

Okay.

Ah, you see, I'm a young one.

You tie your skates so perfect,

I wanna be perfect like you.

I'm not perfect.

So, for these, you need to loop it through.

For the ones that don't have a hook.

Started skating when I was seven.

I was in the first grade, so 13 years.

Monday through Friday and every other Saturday,

it's either work, school, skating.

They're all intertwined together.

I think I'm here, maybe, like, five, six days a week.

Even if I'm not skating, I'm still here.

Good. Good.

This is where I work, where I practice and where I coach.

Good, good.

It feels like, I don't know. Something is released.

Something is released when you skate and there's a lot going on.

And so when the girls skate, I want them to feel free.

To know that, when they're skating,

that's their time to release.

Your arms need to be rock solid or it's not gonna work.

Ooh, Hailey!

.

Hang on! Hang on. Anaiya?

This is not rock solid! This is not rock solid!

.

.

What happened?

My hand slipped! Okay.

We're gonna go through our two-foot spin.

Cassidy, you can do a back spin.

NINA (off-screen): Here in Michigan, it is like,

the home of figure skating and all around,

you see the major skaters, you know,

the Tara Lipinskis, the Todd Eldredges and being a Black

female in this sport, you can almost feel a little forgotten

about or feel as if you don't fit in.

I think it's important for kids to be able to see

themselves in whatever aspect of life they're inspiring to be,

especially in figure skating.

Keep it going. Reach.

Kameryn is one of those who's gone so far;

she's already broke so many barriers.

She's been well-established in the sport,

and so being able to have girls like Kameryn coaching,

they've been able to share their own experiences and say,

"Hey, you know, I've been told I didn't belong either".

Someone that they can look up to,

not only their skating, but their lifestyle,

I think, is important.

When I was young, Nina had a group of girls that,

Black girls who skated.

Some older than me and some younger than me and some the same age as me.

Seeing people who look like me on the ice felt kinda homey to me.

And the older girls really made skating look so much fun.

And, I think that's important for a younger person to see

somebody older actually enjoying what you're doing, you know?

It's nice.

It gives you something to strive for, like,

"Oh, I wanna be like her".

I want them to not feel like they have to conceal

what they love or who they are to conform.

Five, six, seven, eight and shake it.

Good!

Two, three, four, five, six, seven,

eight and circle.

And down.

Good job!

You know there's a little thing that I wanna tell

you about Miss Kameryn?

I remember when I first joined FSD,

I didn't like my hair. Remember?

I always wished it was straight or, like...