Venus Williams stands as a steadfast champion for her beliefs. Remember how she helped bring change for equal prize money at Wimbledon? On the eve of her 2005 Wimbledon final, she challenged the Grand Slam Committee to imagine if the person beside them was a woman. She asked, “Would you want your daughter or your sister or your mother or your wife or a loved one that was a woman to be paid less?” Her fight for women’s rights never stopped. She said, “A lot of the times you can’t beat the truth. When you stand up for what’s right- that’s what my mom was all about. I learned that from her.” Nearly eight years after Serena’s scary childbirth complication, Venus continues to champion change.
September 2017 brought both joy and terror for Serena Williams with the birth of her daughter Olympia. Her history of blood clots made her alert to sudden shortness of breath after her C-section, but her concerns were initially dismissed. A CT scan revealed a pulmonary embolism. Treatment with blood thinners caused hemorrhaging and more surgery. Doctors found a large hematoma and inserted a filter. This near-death experience sparked the sisters to urge patients to advocate for themselves in healthcare.
On Wednesday, May 14, Venus shared a post by Saving Mothers, a nonprofit improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Dr. Tara Shirazian explained the dire situation in West Pokot, Kenya. She said, “Women are dying everywhere around the globe of completely preventable causes. The maternal health situation in West Pokot, Kenya, is dire. Currently, four women labor to one bed and there isn’t an OR available for a woman who’s laboring who needs a C-section. She often has to wait hours for one to become available.”
Since the incident, Serena Williams has been vocal about her near-death experience, emphasizing the critical need for women-especially Black women-to advocate for themselves in healthcare. In a CNN op-ed, she wrote, “I almost died after giving birth to my daughter, Olympia.” She detailed the dismissal of her initial concerns in a Vogue interview: “I told you, I need a CT scan and a heparin drip,” showing her knowledge of her medical history. The player stressed that being heard and properly treated was the difference between life and death. Sadly, many women worldwide don’t have that chance.
Which is what the organization hopes to bring forth, “We at ‘Saving Mothers’, we are on a mission to build a maternity hospital. It will allow women access to safe obstetric and gynecologic care. Every donation counts, and we need everyone’s help. This is a basic human right because no woman should die giving life.”
Now, with Venus shining a light on this issue through Saving Mothers, hopefully, they can find the funds they need. But that’s not all. Last month, she joined Hologic’s ‘BetterTogetHer’ cocktail party, where Dr. Shirazian was also present. The event celebrated women’s health and well-being, often featuring discussions focused on women’s healthcare.
Venus Williams has captivated fans worldwide with her incredible athleticism. But it’s her bold stance against injustice and discrimination that keeps her relevant off the court. She openly shares her experiences, using her platform to address critical issues. What many don’t realize is just how much of her passion for advocacy comes from her mother, Oracene Price.
Venus opens up about her mother’s struggles and how it motivated her to take a stand
In October 2024, she opened up in a CBS News interview about a milestone close to her heart: the 50th anniversary of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. This law, passed in 1974, finally allowed women to get credit cards in their own names without needing a male co-signer. Venus reflected, “It’s so important. It was six years before I was born can you imagine?” She also shared how her mother, Oracene Price, faced the same struggle. “My mom, you know, not being able to get a credit card having to have a male co-sign with her. It’s really so staggering to think about it.” The irony isn’t lost on her, given her mother’s fierce advocacy for equal pay and opportunities.
Venus didn’t stop there. She connected these financial battles to her own fight on the tennis courts. “I also went through that kind of same inequity as well on tennis courts when I got to the Grand Slam. You imagine arriving to Wimbledon and you are not paid the same as the men. So there’s been so much that woman had to fight for.” It’s a powerful reminder that equal pay at Wimbledon only came in 2007, decades after the US Open led the way in 1973. Venus’s voice has been a driving force in pushing for these changes.
To keep the momentum going, Venus teamed up with SoFi for the ‘Give Her Credit’ campaign. This initiative aims to empower the next generation of women with financial independence and the tools to control their futures. It’s a perfect match for Venus, who’s always been about breaking barriers both on and off the court.
Now, with her work alongside Saving Mothers, she’s expanding her advocacy to women’s health. Which just goes to show that she’s all in when it comes to standing up for what matters.
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