My guest, Jackie Dubrovich, is a first generation Belarus American and two time Olympic Foil Fencer. The USA Women's Foil Fencing Team took home the Gold Medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. This medal win, is the first time the USA Women's Foil Team has won an Olympic gold medal in the history of the sport. Jackie's first attempt to medal was at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which took place during the Pandemic. She joins SHLTMM to share stories of her mother, Valentina, who immigrated to the United States from Belarus, the former Soviet Union, to fulfill her dreams and begin a family in a country where she believed anything was possible.
Jackie Dubrovich and I had a wonderful conversation about her families historical journey to to America. We also took a few minutes to share our similarities. Interestingly enough, both of us have stories to share of an Olympic experience, but from different perspectives. It was fun to reminisce about my experience at the 1980, XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York. These particular winter games are remembered for the U.S. Men's Ice Hockey Team's "Miracle on Ice" gold-medal run plus Eric Hieiden's five gold medals in speed skating and so much more. I was a college student at the time and was hired to work in the transportation Dept and drive the athletes and country representatives to and from the Olympic Village into downtown Lake Placid for events and medal ceremonies. Lake Placid is a beautiful town nestled in the middle of the New York Adirondack Mountains. Go for a visit if you ever have an opportunity. It's absolutely beautiful.
Ms. Dubrovich couldn't have been more gracious and happy to share stories of her mother and her mom's experience traveling by herself to America from Belarus, to marry the love of her life and become an American Citizen. Just think of the bravery it took for a young woman to board a flight and head into the unknown. She didn't speak english. She had one suitcase with her possessions and fifty dollars in her pocket.
Valentina, according to her daughter is one of the hardest working moms she knows. Valentina worked in a Russian food store before coming to the United States. To this day she still works regularly and even on her days off, according to her daughter, "she still works hard." Jackie recalls her mother studying, from books she took out from the local library, for her test to become an American Citizen. Jackie and her parents spoke Russian to one another at home and with other family members. Jackie even continued her Russian studies at Columbia University in New York City . As a first generations American , she completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Human Rights and Russian Literature and Culture in 2016.
Valentina could never have imagined in her wildest dreams that her daughter would become and Olympic Athlete, let alone a Gold Medalist in Fencing. Jackie and her parents had big dreams and expectations for their daughter, eldest of two children. At times, Jackie definitely felt the pressure to be the best of the best. She regularly recognized her parents high expectations for both she and her younger brother, also a professional athlete. But Jackie got to the point where she had to be able to handle her experiences and career as a professional on her own terms. As a family, they all learned how to communicate better and Jackie's parents learned to step back a little bit to let her handle her trajectory.
Jackie and her partner, Brian Kaneshige, have opened a new fencing facility in Orange, New jersey called "Polaris Fencing Center." Both Jackie and Brian wanted to be able to give back to the next generation of kids who may not be able to afford years of training and expenses, yet are passionate about a career in Fencing.
Valentina couldn't be more proud of her daughter and her accomplishments. After the pandemic and the 2020 Olympics, Jackie had a tough time. Not really sure if she was interested in training for another four years for the next Olympics. "In Eastern European culture, it's not very common to talk about your feelings, but my parents did a really good job, to know what to say when I was low." Both parents supported her then as well as now.
Website: https://www.polarisfencing.com/. @polarisfencingcenter
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