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Raven Saunders shines light on the ‘oppressed’ in podium statement

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Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

American Raven Saunders, who took silver in the shot put final on Sunday, used her time on the Olympic podium to send a message to those watching worldwide.

During the medal ceremony, the 25-year-old shot putter lifted her arms into an “X” position, a symbol she says represents “the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet.”

Following her second-place performance, Saunders told NBC: “I’m not just fighting for myself. I’m fighting for a lot more people.”

“I want to give a shoutout to all the LGBTQ community, everybody that is dealing with mental health issues, everybody that is Black. I’m giving a shoutout to everybody,” Saunders said.

The 25-year-old Olympian from South Carolina has been open about her mental health struggles leading up to the Tokyo Games and has used her platform to encourages others. Saunders made a statement during Sunday’s competition, wearing a red-and-green Hulk mask, sporting purple-and-green hair and ending her TV interview with words of encouragement: “We can do it.”