Goodbye, City of Lights. Hello, City of Angels.
After a marvelous, triumphant—and, for some, 'controversial' if not eye-catching— Olympics in Paris, the torch has now passed to Los Angeles to host the next Summer games. As the clock ticks down to the summer of 2028, one person aims to earn her medal.
And make history.
For CeCé Telfer, the finish line has been a lifeline, a goalpost guiding her through the trials and tribulations of being a Black trans woman in a world that too often misunderstands and marginalizes her existence. The Jamaican-born athlete has run a path fraught with challenges, beginning with her early years. "I was bullied a lot," CeCé reflects, her voice steady though the memories are painful. "I was tormented and tortured as a kid because I was very feminine." Moving to Canada offered some relief, but the internal struggle to reconcile her true self with society's expectations continued.
Athletics became her refuge. It was a space where she could escape the confusion and noise of the world around her and hone in on what was most vital: staying true to herself. CeCé's love for running was about physical release as much as survival. "Sports gained me a lot of respect, she says," noting how her success on the track silenced some of her bullies. But as she grew older, the binary nature of competitive sports — separating athletes by gender — presented new challenges. "It got more complicated when sports got more segregated between male and female teams, she explains.
But CeCé is nothing if not determined.
"When I couldn't be neutral anymore, I started to live a double life," she confesses. Between home and school, she would change into feminine clothes, hiding her true self from her mother and the world outside. In college, she learned the language to understand and express her identity fully. With the help of doctors and therapists, she began to embrace who she was.
But the journey, while empowering, was also fraught with new dangers and discrimination.
The path to becoming the first Black trans-Olympic runner has been anything but smooth. As CeCé's career progressed, so did her political and social challenges. "I don't only deal with [transphobia] on the field; I deal with that every single day," CeCé shares. From microaggressions and misgendering to outright bigotry, the discrimination she faces is relentless. "It's hurtful when they misgender you, especially after you correct them," she adds. "And they seem to not care."For CeCé, the track is both a battlefield and a sanctuary. While other athletes can focus solely on their performance, CeCé has to contend with the fears that her presence might provoke violence. The stakes are incredibly high, not just in winning or losing but surviving.
"There are times I feel I might not leave this track meet alive," she admits.
Despite these challenges, CeCé remains fiercely committed to becoming an Olympian. "I'm very determined to go to the Olympics and fight," she says firmly. And she knows the fight is more than just a personal achievement; it's about challenging the systems that seek to exclude her and others like her. "These policies are very hurting, detrimental, and they're actually killing us," she warns. CeCé is clear-eyed about the reality of the situation, but she refuses to be deterred.
Beyond her athletic aspirations, CeCé has a vision for a future where she can make an even greater impact. "I really want to go to nursing school," she shares with a smile. "I want to work with kids, specifically in mental health." For CeCé, the future lies in creating a world where barriers are broken and children can grow up without the burdens of hate and discrimination. And her ambitions don't stop there. She desires to dip her toes in acting; with a sparkle in her eye, she reveals how she aspired to be the first Black transgender Wonder Woman.
Little does CeCé know how wondrous she already is.
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Her advice to aspiring trans athletes? "Stay true to who you are, keep going, and know you're strong for even choosing you," she urges. CeCé knows firsthand how isolating and dangerous the journey can be. Still, she also understands the importance of community and support. In a world that often demands conformity, she desires to be a trans torchbearer for bringing courage and individuality to athletics.
After our conversation, I reflected on my journey as a trans woman. I remember my younger, femme self, packing shirt, pants, and heels in my high school bag to be my most authentic self during the school day—only to shed it all off before arriving home. The fear of wanting to break free from the demands of being the ideal son when knowing I can be the (almost) perfect daughter.
The desire and unwavering optimism to be anything less than my most authentic self in a world that told me otherwise.
CeCé is proving that when you stay the course, there's no limit to what you can achieve. As she continues her journey toward Olympic gold, her race is not just toward a finish line but a future where every trans individual can compete in life freely and fearlessly.
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