A new mother herself, tennis superstar Serena Williams took some time Tuesday to pen a letter to her own mother, Oracene Price.
Dear Mom, You are one of the strongest women I know. I was looking at my daughter (OMG, yes, I have a daughter ) and she has my arms and legs! My exact same strong, muscular, powerful, sensational arms and body. I don’t know how I would react if she has to go through what I’ve gone through since I was a 15 year old and even to this day…. Read the rest on my @Reddit profile. Link in bio.
25.5k Likes, 405 Comments – Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on Instagram: “Dear Mom, You are one of the strongest women I know. I was looking at my daughter (OMG, yes, I…”
Williams showed awe and admiration for Price’s tolerance and patience in the face of persecution flung at the Williams family in a post on Reddit. Williams’ fiancé is Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
Here are some highlights from the letter, published here unedited:
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I’ve been called man because I appeared outwardly strong. It has been said that that I use drugs (No, I have always had far too much integrity to behave dishonestly in order to gain an advantage). It has been said I don’t belong in Women’s sports — that I belong in Men’s — because I look stronger than many other women do. (No, I just work hard and I was born with this badass body and proud of it).
But mom, I’m not sure how you did not go off on every single reporter, person, announcer and quite frankly, hater, who was too ignorant to understand the power of a black woman.
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Thank you for being the role model I needed to endure all the hardships that I now regard as a challenges–ones that I enjoy. I hope to teach my baby Alexis Olympia the same, and have the same fortitude you have had.
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The 35-year-old is among the greatest tennis players of all time with 23 Grand Slam singles titles to her name, just one behind Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24.
Her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., was born on Sept. 1.
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