2021 has been quite the year for this 18-year-old Minnesotan, adding this TIME magazine honor to her list of accomplishments.

After picking up a gold, silver, and bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo last month, Minnesota's Sunisa 'Suni' Lee has been named as one on TIME magazine's 100 most influential people for 2021.

The 18-year old Saint Paul native is attending college at Auburn University in Alabama, recently attended the Met Gala, and will be competing on the upcoming season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

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In the feature on Lee, TIME writer Nastia Liukin says:

As the first Hmong American Olympian, Suni has an impact that extends far beyond any border or sport—it signifies representation. 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.

Other Notable Folks on The 2021 TIME List

  • Tennis player Naomi Osaka
  • Singer Brittany Spears
  • Singer/actor Dolly Parton
  • U.S. gymnast Simone Biles
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook
  • Singer Billie Eilish
  • NFL quarterback Tom Brady
  • Actor Kate Winslet
  • Actor Jason Sudeikis
  • Actor Scarlett Johansson
  • Singer Kane Brown
  • U.S. President Joe Biden
  • Former U.S. President Donald Trump
  • Tesla/Space X founder Elon Musk

The new season of 'Dancing with the Stars,' featuring Suni Lee, premieres this Monday, September 20th at 7:00 pm on ABC (KSTP-5).

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