How Athletes Cameron Brink and Misty Copeland Are Redefining Strength

Today, TOGETHXR and Aveeno announced The Strength Issue, an editorial project that showcases four incredible female athletes: Cameron Brink, Misty Copeland, Ali Truwit and Sophia Wilson. Through interviews and photographs captured by Kanya Iwana, each woman was given a platform to speak out on their definition of strength.

Sophia Wilson, Cameron Brink, Misty Copeland and Ali Truwit | Courtesy of Kanya Iwana

Brink, a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks, knows that strength lies in resilience. After suffering a season-ending ACL tear in June 2024, the 24-year-old New Jersey native made a triumphant return to the court in July 2025. During the 2025 regular season, Brink averaged 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

“My injury taught me that true strength lies in actively practicing patience,” Brink tells SI Lifestyle. “I had always considered myself a patient person, but that experience challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. Sitting on the sidelines to cheer on teammates, knowing I wasn’t going to step back into the game, makes you invest in a different way. Through investing in others, I learned what it really means to be a good teammate and how to be there for others. Ultimately, I play a team sport, so pouring into others makes me feel like the best version of myself, which is where I find my strength.”

The athlete says she also found strength and purpose in the 13 months she spent away from the court while rehabilitating her left knee. Brink continues to draw strength from her family, friends and coaches that make up her support system.

“Also, learning who I am beyond the game has also strengthened me,” she adds. “I refuse to reduce myself to being just a basketball player. I have other passions—like fashion and beauty—and it’s through those passions that I grow and fully experience my femininity, which I see as a great source of my strength as well. I don’t want my femininity to be mistaken for a lack of power. Femininity and intensity are not mutually exclusive; being both feminine and serious is my truest form of self-expression, especially as an athlete.”

Brink, who also plays for Unrivaled’s Breeze Basketball Club, says that being featured in The Strength Issue is truly a full-circle moment, as taking care of her skin is a fundamental part of maintaining her confidence both on and off the court.

Copeland, a ballet dancer who retired from the American Ballet Theatre last fall, agrees that skincare helps her feel prepared while boosting her self-assuredness. “It’s important that women have space to define strength on their own terms. What I love is that this isn’t just one story. It’s a collective reflection of resilience, recovery and vulnerability,” she says of the editorial project.

The 43-year-old, who hails from Kansas City, Mo., famously became the first African American female principal dancer at the ABT in 2015. Throughout her historic career, Copeland has constantly challenged the status quo of what a “traditional” ballerina body type should look like. Like Brink, she’s also no stranger to powering through injury, including tibia stress fractures and, more recently, a hip replacement.

Misty Copeland | Courtesy of Kanya Iwana

“Strength, to me, is vulnerability. It’s having a deep inner confidence that I can return to again and again. It’s how I choose to show up in my life every day,” Copeland says. “ ... Everything I’ve gone through has been part of the journey. Injuries, especially, forced me to slow down and really understand my body. Some of my biggest growth has come from those moments. They taught me how to listen, how to care for myself, and how to come back stronger.”

Following her retirement from the ABT last October, Copeland is looking forward to participating in more projects like The Strength Issue that she connects with on a personal level.

“This next chapter is really about alignment for me,” she explains. “I want to focus on work that feels meaningful and connected to who I am now. That includes partnerships and projects that have purpose, that tell stories, and that celebrate women in all the ways we show up.”

For more on The Strength Issue, click here.

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