Serena Williams’ Husband, Alexis Ohanian, Steps Down as Reddit Board Member For Their Black Daughter’s Sake
On June 6, Tennis star Serena Williams‘ husband, Reddit co-founder, Alexis Ohanian took to Instagram to share how he is supporting his family against social and racial injustice within the black community.
In the video and statement, Ohanian shared that he would be stepping down as a member of the Reddit board which he co-found 15 years ago. The father of one said he made the decision to step down for their daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.
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“I’m saying this as a father who needs to be able to answer his black daughter when she asks: What did you do?”
As Ohanian began his statement, he shared that he “co-founded Reddit 15 years ago to help people find community and a sense of belonging. It is long overdue to do the right thing. I’m doing this for me, for my family, and for my country.”
“I have resigned as a member of the Reddit board, I have urged them to fill my seat with a black candidate, and I will use future gains on my Reddit stock to serve the black community, chiefly to curb racial hate, and I’m starting with a pledge of $1 million to Collin Kaepernick’s @yourrightscamp. I believe resignation can actually be an act of leadership from people in power right now. To everyone fighting to fix our broken nation: do not stop.”
After announcing his decision publicly, Serena had her husband on one of her Instagram Lives. After revealing the racism she has dealt with during her years as one of the top tennis stars is the world, the mom and wife admitted that she was also shocked by her husband’s decision to stepdown.
“This was not an easy decision at all,” Ohanian told his wife. He added that it’s the best decision for Reddit and every other business and company to have diversity at the highest level. And he went on to thank his wife for her guidance through this decision.
Both Serena and Ohanian revealed they were shocked that his news would essentially “break the internet.”
And while some people may see his move as “counterintuitive,” he believes it was a way to lead even without leading. “We need diversity at the highest levels of business now more than ever. Once I realized why I needed to do it, it became very easy.”
Ohanian also made it incredibly clear that it was his decision to step down from the Reddit board. It wasn’t something Serena forced him into. That’s when Serena joked, “A lot of people might think I told you to do something, or I forced you. He doesn’t listen to me, ever.”
“I thought about what those dollars could do for a community that has clearly suffered for far too long, and that I with my power and my influence and my privilege want to do something meaningful to start to show a change. To make a better world for Olympia.”
The father and husband said he felt like he owed to Serena and to their daughter “to put as much weight behind the gesture as I could.”
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