Co-Founder of Reddit Alexis Ohanian is married to Serena Williams, and has had a daughter with her. He wants his daughter to grow up in a more equal world. Photo / Getty Images
Co-Founder of Reddit Alexis Ohanian is married to Serena Williams, and has had a daughter with her. He wants his daughter to grow up in a more equal world. Photo / Getty Images
Alexis Ohanian is stepping down from the Reddit board of directors - and wants to be replaced by a black candidate.
The Reddit co-founder - who is married to Serena Williams and has Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., two, with the tennis star - has vowed to step down from hisrole so he can tell his daughter he has done his part to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
He wrote on Instagram: "I co-founded @reddit 15 years ago to help people find community and a sense of belonging.
It is long overdue to do the right thing. I'm doing this for me, for my family, and for my country. I'm saying this as a father who needs to be able to answer his black daughter when she asks, 'What did you do?' I have resigned as a member of the reddit board, I have urged them to fill my seat with a black candidate."
And Alexis has pledged US$1 million to support Colin Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp, which helps to liberate black communities through "education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilisation".
Alexis Olympia, daughter of Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian congratulate Serena Williams after she won her final match against Jessica Pegula of USA in Auckland. Photo / Getty Images
He added in the lengthy post: "I will use future gains on my Reddit stock to serve the black community, chiefly to curb racial hate, and I'm starting with a pledge of $1m to @kaepernick7's @yourrightscamp ... I believe resignation can actually be an act of leadership from people in power right now. To everyone fighting to fix our broken nation: do not stop. (sic)"
Co-Founder of Reddit Alexis Ohanian is married to Serena Williams, and has had a daughter with her. He wants his daughter to grow up in a more equal world. Photo / Getty Images
Reddit chief executive Steve Huffman said in a blog post this week that the social media platform was exploring what it can do to give people a voice and be an impetus for change when it comes to racial justice.
"We work for this platform because we care deeply about community and belonging," Mr Huffman said.
"But community and belonging are not possible without safety from violence, and now is the time to stand in solidarity with the Black members of our communities."
