Tennis star Serena Williams is making historic moves on and off the court. Just weeks after becoming the first athlete to land a spot on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest self-made women, the Compton native now has her own Wheaties box; making her the second Black woman tennis player in history to be the face of the cereal brand, the Undefeated reported.
Gracing the cover of a Wheaties box is a pinnacle for many athletes. The cereal brand—known as the “breakfast of champions”—has been featuring influential athletes on their boxes for 85 years. The leadership team at Wheaties believed that it would be fitting to feature Williams on the box because her impact transcends far beyond the tennis court. Williams has been a fierce advocate for social justice. Over the course of her career, she’s utilized her platform to spread awareness about gender equality and racial injustice.
“Serena exemplifies all of the personal attributes that Wheaties looks for when choosing who its next champion will be,” Wheaties marketing manager Tiffani Daniels, said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “On the court she has been named the women’s most valuable player seven times, while off the court she uses her voice to inspire and spark change to make the world a better place.” Williams was humbled by the honor and took to Instagram to express her excitement. She says that being featured on the Wheaties box illustrates the importance of representation. “I have dreamt of this since I was a young woman,” she stated. “I hope my image on this iconic orange box will inspire the next generation of girls and athletes to dream big.”
The decorated athlete—who has four Olympic medals and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles under her belt—joins a group of influential Black women athletes who have been featured on the box. Those who have graced the box include tennis player Althea Gibson, track and field star Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and gymnast Dominique Dawes.
Williams is not only opening doors for women and girls who want to pursue careers in sports, she’s giving aspiring women entrepreneurs a seat at the venture capital table. In March she joined forces with the app Bumble to invest in women of color entrepreneurs.
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Serena Williams Becomes Second Black Woman Tennis Player To Grace Wheaties Box was originally published on newsone.com
