What Brittnee Habbib Made This Year

Brittnee Habbib excelled in the world's most elite gymnastics competitions. A member of the Canadian National Gymnastics Team from 2002 to 2007, she vied for top spot at the Commonwealth Games, the World Championships, and the Social Insurance American Gymnastics Championships. She won several medals and trophies along the way, and this success brought her appearances on billboards and in commercials.

But despite being among the top stars of a very competitive sport, she never felt good enough. “Nobody would believe that I had no confidence,” she says.

Throughout her training and her career, there weren't other gymnasts who were like Brittnee—there weren't other competitors who were Black. This lack of representation in Canadian gymnastics had an immense negative impact on her self-esteem and sense of belonging.

“Going to the gym was hard,” says Brittnee. “Race was never talked about. It was just this subtle way of making me feel really different, and it was very uncomfortable for me being in environments where nobody looked like me.”

Brittnee didn't get the support and encouragement she needed. When she got older, she was determined that others wouldn't have to go through the same experience. In 2015, she founded Girl Power'd, a gymnastics and dance program for young Black girls, to provide the support she never got.

“I just want Black girls to know how fantastic they are,” says the self-employed coach, instructor, and choreographer . “I needed to create this space where girls could feel comfortable and where we could bring culture and mesh that with gymnastics together.”

At the Girl Power'd gym in Toronto, Brittnee goes beyond training her students on the mechanics of gymnastics and dance—she also spends time helping them build the confidence and mental fortitude they'll need to successfully compete in the sport. “If you're not in tune with your body, it's impossible to become your best self,” she says.

Another barrier to many young Black girls participating in sport is money, so Brittnee's work includes grant writing to support her students who are on scholarships.

“If I can change one little Black girl's life, I'm changing the face of gymnastics,” she says.

As you can see in the video below, Brittnee didn't have an easy road in gymnastics. Her experience has driven her to clear a path for future generations of Black girls who come up behind her in the field, and to change gymnastics for women in the process. She's building a warm and supportive place that didn't exist before—and creating community through sport and culture so others like her can thrive.

“I hope that a young Black girl walks into my gym and says, I can do anything,” says Brittnee. “This year, I made a space for young Black girls to have a voice and to love themselves.”

What did you make this year?

This story is part of a series celebrating the meaningful lives people build beyond their finances, focusing on creating a life you're proud of.

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