Olympian Michelle Kwan urges students to vote, support Clinton

Two-time Olympian Michelle Kwan told UF students Thursday why she believes Hillary Clinton is the best candidate for minorities.

The former figure skater, who competed in the Olympics in 1998 and 2002, addressed about 50 students in the Reitz Union as part of a national collegiate tour. She talked with students about why she supports Clinton and how she was drawn to politics after retiring from figure skating.

“I wanted to give back,” Kwan said. “I wanted to make a difference, and I wanted to really build on what was always the highest honor for me, and that’s been representing this amazing country.”

After talking to students, Kwan visited a Newberry Road campaign office to participate in a phone bank and meet with volunteers.

Kwan said she joined Clinton’s campaign about a week before the presidential candidate officially announced her candidacy. Kwan went back to school to earn her bachelor’s and master’s degrees after her Olympic career, and she began working in the State Department before joining Clinton’s campaign.

Working on the campaign let Kwan get to know Clinton personally, she said.

“(I) see the person that she is, the fighter that she is and how she gets things done,” Kwan said. “In my mind it’s a very clear choice in these elections, and there’s just so much at stake, and you know that Hillary has the experience and the background and the ability to get things done.”

Kwan urged students to get involved with Clinton’s campaign and register to vote.

“(Clinton) has been fighting for us, so we have to fight for her,” Kwan said. “People fought to make sure you have a voice in these elections, so use it.”

Although Kwan has gone through a major career shift, she said working for the campaign is still similar to figure skating.

“You need the work ethic,” she said. “You need the determination, the perseverance, the team work.”

Santiago Marquez, a 19-year-old UF sustainability studies and women’s studies sophomore, said he liked hearing Kwan speak about the Asian American Pacific Islander community and how important it was for members of that community to vote.

“It shows it’s definitely great to have a diverse range of presenters and people campaigning for Hillary,” said Marquez, who is the vice president of Gators 4 Hillary. “Michelle Kwan is a champion, and it was really great to have the opportunity to see her.”

Audrey Guerra, a UF political science senior and former figure skater, said she remembered watching Kwan compete in the Olympics and playing Kwan’s video game, “Michelle Kwan Figure Skating.”

“She’s like one of my childhood heros,” the 21-year-old said. “It was really interesting to hear a little bit of her backstory.”

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Michelle Kwan smiles as she talks to one of her fans. Kwan was on UF’s campus to kick off the Hillary Clinton campaign event on Thursday.