Black Girl Magic is real, and Coco Gauff is evidence of this phenomenon. Born in 2004, Cori Dionne “Coco” Gauff is an American tennis player who comes from an athletic family. According to PEOPLE, her parents, Corey and Candi, were on the road to becoming professional athletes as well. Gauff’s dad, Corey, played college basketball at Georgia State University, while Candi was an accomplished track and field star at Florida State University. Though the two don’t take full credit for Gauff’s athletic prowess, they acknowledge that their own experiences as athletes provided a solid foundation for understanding the dedication and discipline required to perform at a high level. Their support and guidance have been instrumental in creating the atmosphere for her to succeed. “I think it helps parents when they have played as high as college or even pro,” Gauff’s father told The New York Times in 2019. “You better understand the process and so you don’t get too jittery about it. You don’t...

Tennis superstar Venus Williams’ legacy has empowered women both on and off the court. According to a press release, Williams is teaming up with Blue Shield of California — a mission-driven nonprofit health plan — to spread awareness of healthcare bias. “For groups, including but not limited to, women, people of color, immigrants, and low-income populations, accessing and receiving the care they need and deserve can be challenging,” Jeff Robertson , senior vice president of consumer growth and chief marketing officer at Blue Shield of California, said in a press release . “We are proud to be working with tennis icon and activist Venus Williams in addressing the implicit biases and systemic inequities that persist in health care today.” Over the next year, through the collaborative campaign — “Hear Me” —  Williams will speak on “her auto-immune disorder Sjogren’s Syndrome, mental health, Black maternal health, and fitness and wellness,” the press release announced. “I am deeply...