Former Malibu Mayor and local resident Pamela Conley Ulich will be reporting on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as a special correspondent to The Malibu Times, reporting on events Malibu-based athletes will be competing in, which include men’s water polo, men’s swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, open water swim, athletics and women’s indoor volleyball.
She has attended the last three summer Olympic games: 2004 in Athens, 2008 in Beijing, 2012 in London and now the Rio Olympics. She also reported as a correspondent to The Malibu Times from London in 2012.
Ulich served on Malibu City Council for eight years, from 2004-2012, including one term as mayor.
WILL RIO RISE OR BE RUINED?
Our family’s preparation for our trip to the upcoming Rio Olympics is underway. We have made the trek to REI. We bought mosquito repellent, hooded jackets and pants. We learned that we can wash regular clothes with chemicals filled with DEET to ward off blood-thirsty beasts.
As I begin to fill my washing machine with loads of clean clothes and DEET, my mind wanders and my mothering instincts kick in. Should we even go to the Olympics? Will the Olympics bring the world together in sport and harmony for 15 days, or will it be a catastrophe as predicted by so many news outlets — most recently by a July 1 New York Times article?
Every time we open a newspaper or watch the news we hear about a world in ruin — the Zika virus, military coups, Britain exiting the EU, shootings in Orlando, Pokemon Go accidents, terrorism in Nice — the list goes on.
The Olympics open in less than two weeks, on August 5. What kind of experience awaits the world? Will the world continue to spiral in demise or will it rise?
Even if we don’t have political leaders or national events that inspire us, thank God for artists and athletes.
Katy Perry just released the official NBC Olympics song, “Rise,” and hopefully, like the paddles used to send an electric shock to help restore the heart’s rhythm, the song and the Rio Olympics will restart and reset our collective hearts.
“This is a song that’s been brewing inside me for years, that has finally come to the surface. I was inspired to finish it now, rather than save it for my next album, because now more than ever, there is a need for our world to unite,” Katy said in a statement. “I know that together we can rise above the fear — in our country, and around the world. I can’t think of a better example than the Olympic athletes, as they gather in Rio with their strength and fearlessness, to remind us how we ALL can come together, with the resolve to be the best we can be. I hope this song can inspire us to heal unite and rise together. I am honored that NBC Olympics has chosen to use it as an anthem before and during the Rio Games.”
I remain hopeful and I pray that Rio will reveal a world on the rise — filled with sportsmanship, courage, peace and love.
I look forward to bringing Malibu reports from Rio in the coming weeks.
