“Sometimes being a girl isn’t easy. At some point, someone will probably tell you no, will tell you to be quiet, and may even tell you your dreams are impossible. Don’t listen to them.” A simple yet powerful opening verse from She Persisted, authored by Chelsea Clinton. For a book made for no less than toddlers, the message it carries is universal—so much so that, forget older kids, even adults can draw inspiration from it. But have you ever wondered where the creator of this masterpiece found her motivation?

One word: Olympics. Yes, you heard that right—the very tournament that dates back over 2,800 years with a rich history of not just sporting excellence but symbolizing the defiance of odds and facing adversities. Don’t believe us? Hear out the protagonist herself: “I grew up watching the Olympics,” Clinton began during a live session at Deep Blue’s Business of Women’s Sports Summit, hosted by A Touch More podcast hosts and power sports couple, Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird. “My family makes me watch more television during the Olympics than anything else.”

One of Chelsea’s book series features some of the greatest American Olympians. Given that the only daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton released that segment while learning about these Olympians, Bird asked her whether she also persistently found some sort of “common thread” between all of them.

Well, mostly, it was how watching Summer Games always ushered ‘intense feelings’ within Chelsea even about the smallest things like curling or the javelin, wondering, “Why are the Slovakians so good at this sport?” Hilariously, her husband used to respond, “What are you talking about?” Then again, it’s not due to cynicism, but because of her eagerness to remain enthralled and inspired.

“I also want to share that sense of awesomeness now with my kids,” admitted the 45-year-old, expressing her eagerness to keep her kids more exposed to these American idols. Honestly, we aren’t surprised, considering she herself grew up watching iconic figures like Mary Lou Retton or even Flo Jo “obliterate the world records that she still holds” on those 88’s old-fashioned television.

Or even listening to her parents and grandparents talking about the Olympics—all these moments have been so “meaningful,” for Clinton. “It is just a meaningful experience to me. When I had the chance to expand the She Persisted series into sports, I spoke to some of most of the living athletes and then some of them thankfully resonated so much with young readers,” added the American writer.

No wonder Chelsea was able to turn the whole series into specific chapter books that feature over 13 individual women, including the likes of Harriet Tubman, Clara Lemlich, Helen Keller, Sally Ride, and Oprah Winfrey. Later, more inspirational stories were added in what was termed a spin-off series, even bagging the New York Times best-seller tag.

Either way, it is quite interesting to see how the Olympics played a crucial role in helping Clinton produce such an inspiring piece. Then again, given how both Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe have themselves been recognized as the catalysts for change in the modern world, why can’t we see them feature in such books? Well, Chelsea had an interesting take on this as well!

Chelsea Clinton almost forgot to feature Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe in her book!

Six years ago, Chelsea Clinton wrote The Gutsy Women with her mom Hillary. For those unaware, it was a series of essays that give a bold tribute to over 100 women across all disciples who have broken barriers to earning the pioneering-change status. Interestingly, Bird asked whether there were still any women she would like to add to the book.

After deep thought, Clinton gave a shoutout to Kamla Harris, insisting she would love to add the former Vice President of the United States. The reason is that the politician and attorney have demonstrated quite a lot of gutsiness. Other than that, Chelsea also expressed her desire to add all the public health professionals as well as a certain amount of climate scientists.

Interestingly, just as Clinton was about to wrap up, Bird jokingly chimed in, “And us, right?” Quickly realizing the playful jab, Clinton replied, “Oh, I should have started with the two of you. Of course, I’m sorry,” before giving them the respective number one and two spots—or letting the power couple decide if they wanted to share first place. To that, Rapinoe hilariously added, “I’ll be one,” leaving the entire summit in stitches.

To be fair, both Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird truly deserve such recognition. They’ve each played a significant role in advancing women’s sports while actively working toward greater equality and representation. Rapinoe’s fight for equal pay against U.S. Soccer is a standout example, while Bird has launched impactful initiatives like Togethxr, which champions equal representation not only for women but for all gender identities.