"Everyone knows you as black family" - Gabby Thomas reflects on the cultural shock she experienced while growing up in Massachusetts

Gabby Thomas recently reflected on the cultural shock she encountered while growing up in various neighborhoods. Bron in Atlanta, Georgia, Thomas moved to Massachusetts as a 10-year-old after her mother Jennifer Randall commenced teaching at the University.

Thomas attended the Williston Northampton School and later pursued a degree in neurobiology and global health from Harvard University. In an interview with Why Not Me? with Mike Jackson, Thomas reflected on her upbringing in Atlanta, where she was surrounded predominately by the black community and attended diverse schools.

However, after moving to Massachusetts, Thomas found herself in a different setting. She noted that although the community was predominately white, it was very liberal, providing a cultural shock.

"So my mom finished her PhD and got a job at the University of Massachusetts which is in Ammer, Massachusetts, and so we moved up there and culture shock I mean to say the least, "she said.

"Yeah my experience in Atlanta was you know our neighborhood was very black you know just a lot of black people..the first couple of years very diverse school a lot of black people. We ended up going to private school for the last two years of Atlanta...very very white conservative absolutely. Then we moved to Massachusetts where I mean we were probably the only black family right, ike I maybe one other black family but everyone knows you as the black family in that area and it was very, very liberal so it was definitely a different demographic of white people than I was used to being exposed it was liberal," she added.

Gabby Thomas earns the nomination for the 2024 USATF Athlete of the Year award for her Paris Olympics heroics

Gabby Thomas of the USA after winning the women's 4x100m relay at the Olympic Games in the Stade de France, Paris, France. (Photo Getty Images)

Gabby Thomas has earned the nomination for the 2024 Jackie Joyner-Kersee Athlete of the Year for USATF, citing her victorious streak at the Paris Olympics.

Thomas clinched a gold medal in the women's 200m after clocking a staggering time of 21.38 seconds. She achieved this feat by defeating the 100m champion Julien Alfred and fellow teammate Brittany Brown, who clocked a stunning 22.08 and 22.20 seconds, respectively.

Further, the American sprinter also contributed to the team's effort to secure gold medals in the 4x100m and 4x400m relay events. She earned the spot on the list alongside other Olympic gold medalists, including Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Tara Davis-Woodhall, Masai Russell, and Valarie Allman.