Meet Naimah Muhammad

Today we’d like to introduce you to Naimah Muhammad.

Hi Naimah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started competitive gymnastics when I was nine years old and fell in love with gymnastics by looking up to greats such as Gabrielle Douglas and Dominique Dawes. I moved up pretty quick over the years and committed to do college gymnastics on scholarship aid the University of Bridgeport in 2020, the same year as the Pandemic. Due to the Pandemic, I had to withdraw from Bridgeport and take a gap anywhere until I transferred to SUNY College of Brockport and compete on the team there. competed for Brockport gymnastics for about a year and a half before transferring once more to attend Fisk University, and join the first HBCU gymnastics team in history. Our first competition season, I went first for the team and became the first HBCU gymnast in history. Since then, I finished out my collegiate career, graduated, joined a sorority, got engaged, and really started my adult life and “grown-up” career.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a mix of bumpy and smooth. Gymnastics has led me to incredible opportunities like being on the Jennifer Hudson Show and meeting my role models, like Dominique Dawes at our meet vs George Washington University some years ago. But some challenges included injuries to my back and ankles2 and my mental health suffering due to intense pressure in the spotlight, personal issues, and staff changes toward the end of my career. It’s easy to let the negative cloud over all the success and joy I’ve had, so I try to focus on the good. I wouldn’t be where I am without prayer, my support system, and lots of therapy.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a sportswriter for Gymnastics Now, a media outlet specifically for gymnastics related updates and news and I also coach gymnastics part-time to stay connected to the sport.
I’m known for being “the First”, but there’s more to me than gymnastics. I graduated with a degree in English Literature and a Film minor. I create content for several brands and write screenplays and stories that I hope to publish some day. I’ve also assisted in the creation of the BET Documentary, Flipped, following the Fisk Gymnastics team, and other projects!

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I think it’s less of “luck” and more of hard work, risk, and God’s presence showing up strongly in my life. I don’t think luck brought me to Fisk or luck made me the First. Not even bad luck contributed to my mental health battles. Everything that has been destined for me, good or bad, has played it’s role to teach me lessons from my mistakes, and shown me how much growth I’ve made with every success

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_naimah24/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lifeofnai1?si=9wJLduE-h8Si2NCa
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@its__nai