As she watched the life story of the tennis superstars and their driven father, Niellah Arboine was reminded of the huge impact the sisters’ success had on her and on Black families the world over
I was one year old when Venus Williams made her professional debut in 1994 at the age of 14. And I was nine years old when Serena Williams won her first singles title at Wimbledon by beating her big sister in straight sets in 2002.
When I was growing up you didn’t need to know anything about tennis to know about the Williams sisters. Venus and Serena were more than tennis players: they were an inspiration, a beacon of Black joy, and a solid reminder to hold your head up high no matter what space you walk into.
