Opinion: Serena Williams, on optimism about race relations, 'Is that a trick question?'
Serena Williams is on a Zoom call, and she's funny, smart and honest. The topic is about race, and it's serious, but there's also a moment where Williams finds time to laugh.
Towards the end of the conversation, I asked if she felt optimistic about the future of race relations in America. Her response was almost immediate.
"Is that a trick question?"
No, I'm not trying to trick you, I responded.
"I'm answering your question," she said. "...You gotta keep up with me."
I'm the idiot, Serena, my bad.
With her response Williams was indeed answering the question. She was saying no, sorry, but I'm not optimistic about future race relations in this country.
She's far from alone as polls consistently show. And considering what's happening in the country now, such pessimism is highly warranted.
What was most striking in speaking to Williams was her bluntness in talking race, and it was actually wonderful to see.
There was another poignant moment when Williams said: "America was built on something very old. Trying to change it in one generation is very optimistic."
In many ways, this is the very definition of systemic racism.
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Williams hasn't just been a role model for her play, which includes 23 Grand Slam singles, the most in the Open Era. Her presence has been inspirational to many girls and women, but particularly to Black girls.
That inspiration is part of her latest project, which is helping athletes of color overcome the hurdles they face while participating in sports, hurdles that are more formidable than the ones their white counterparts face.
Williams is working with Secret to bring attention to these issues, particularly the inequities Black women face. Young girls, for instance, drop out of sports at twice the rate of young boys due to underfunding and underrepresentation.
"When I saw that stat," Williams said, "it made me really sad."
The data also shows, according to Secret, the majority of women competing at the highest levels in sports are not being covered in the media at the same rate as their male counterparts.
Williams and Secret’s “Just Watch Me” campaign is focused on improving the direness of all of this, empower all young girl athletes to keep going in the sports that they love, and encouraging everyone to support women athletes.
"My message overall," said Williams, "is support us. It doesn't mean just money."
It also means time and other resources, Williams added. She said if it wasn't for her family's emotional support and love, she wouldn't have become the player she did.
Secret is holding an Olympics watch party in Central Park (near the Merchants' Gate Plaza entrance) on July 27 beginning at 8 a.m. and finishing 12 hours later. Secret is also pledging $150,000 to the Women’s Sports Foundation to create inclusive and equitable spaces for women and girls.
Those women and girls couldn't have a better ally than Williams.