“Some of you are going to be incredible athletes and scientists,” said Alya Alghamdi, an Olympic-trained athlete and the founder of the Athletics for All Foundation (AFA), more commonly known as AFA by Lady A (AFALA), with Lady A referring to Alghamdi. On April 16, 2026, she spoke at Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School about her organization and its mission during a senior meeting.
Alghamdi had a dream of competing in the Olympics, and trained intensely for both the 2016 and 2021 Olympics to represent her home country of Saudi Arabia. She was invited to the 2016 Olympics in Rio, but ultimately her home country rescinded the offer. Alghamdi has stated that she was not unselected due to her athletic ability, and that it was “a culturally based decision.”
While currently living in America, Alghamdi is originally from Saudi Arabia. She grew up in a country where women have historically been systematically oppressed, and their autonomy is often restricted. In turn, Alghamdi didn’t have opportunities to play sports, but she overcame these restrictions throughout her life and continued to pursue her passion for track and field.
“I know what it feels like to start at a disadvantage, but my devotion to my sport has helped me overcome every single obstacle I’ve faced,” said Alghamdi.
Founded in 2022, AFALA strives to support people facing cultural, societal, physical or economic barriers worldwide. Providing education and sports opportunities, mentorship, and mental health support globally.
At the end of IBW’s school year, Alghamdi will present 10 graduating seniors who have “excelled academically or in athletics” with Chromebooks.
During the meeting, Alghamdi discussed the importance of working hard, appreciating what you have and giving back to your community. She emphasized contributing to underserved and disenfranchised individuals through sports and education, a focal point of her foundation.
Often partnering with schools or businesses across the U.S., AFALA has been associated with Scholastic Book Fairs. Due to this support, they’ve been able to donate a wide array of resources to underserved students, like books and laptops. For example, at a middle school in Dallas, Texas, students were provided free laptops. They also supplied on-site water to Narbonne High School in Harbor City, California, a school that had been without accessible water for several years.
The foundation has been known to extend past tangible academic resources. In such cases, they’ve been known to donate books to state prisons in California, provide athletic scholarships to underprivileged students and host many fundraising sports events, focused on giving back to the community.
Alghamdi spoke to IBW seniors about the significance of serving your community. She explained that even after her success in track and field, she didn’t stop working hard. In fact, she believes in the importance of what she did after her sport and accomplishments; to her, it’s just as crucial as her athletic achievements.
Alghamdi will return to IBW on May 28, 2026, to present awards to the selected hardworking seniors on their last day of High School.
