MINNESOTA, USA — Editors note: The video above originally aired on KARE 11 on Aug. 12, 2021.
It's been a busy year for Minnesota gymnast Suni Lee.
From winning three medals, including an individual gold, at the Tokyo Olympics, to starting her college career at Auburn University, then joining the cast of Dancing With the Stars and attending the Met Gala, the St. Paul native has had plenty to celebrate.
Add to the list, being named one of TIME's Most Influential People of 2021.
The 18th annual list of the 100 most influential people includes climate leaders, advocates, political leaders, singers and songwriters, CEOs and more.
Each entry is written by another person who works in the same field, a fellow athlete, fellow writer, and in Suni's case, fellow gymnast Nastia Liukin.
"As the first Hmong American Olympian, Suni has an impact that extends far beyond any border or sport—it signifies representation," Liukin wrote. "This milestone has and will continue to inspire the Hmong community, but it also sends a simple yet powerful message to underrepresented people everywhere: Dream big because anything is possible."
In a video posted on Twitter, TIME captured the moment Suni found out she was included on the list from her sister Shyenne.
"So TIME magazine recognizes you as one of the most influential people," Shyenne said to a visibly shocked Suni. "You're being recognized, top 100!"
Just hours before the TIME list was released, Suni posted on Twitter that she feels "blessed for every opportunity given to me, never would have thought this is how my life would've turned out."
The 18-year-old gymnast became a household name during the Tokyo Olympics, winning gold in the all-around individual final, silver in the women's team final, and bronze in the individual uneven bars.
Also included on TIME's list is attorney Ben Crump, who represented the families of George Floyd and Daunte Wright after both men were killed by police.
Gwen Carr, who's son Eric Garner was killed by police in New York City in 2014, said Crump's efforts during the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering Floyd in April of 2021, "made possible a guilty verdict that he described as a 'turning point in history'—a flicker of hope that the change that both the world and grieving families were calling for might be possible on a wider scale."