5 Boss Moves We Can Learn From Serena Williams, The Decade's Top Athlete
The banging' chiseled body. The super-awesome record-breaking sports prowess. The IRL mommy and marriage goals. Tennis star Serena Williams was recently named Female Athlete of the Decade by the Associated Press, and there's no question why. She definitely has the receipts. She's won more than 20 Grand Slam singles titles---breaking records along the way---won Olympic gold by herself and with her sister, Venus, and holds the crown as the oldest female Grand Slam singles winner of all time.
Not all of us can slay on a tennis court or red carpet, but we can take a play from her book when it comes to boss moves. Check out 5 that will inspire you to step your game up---in whatever way you need to---in this new year:
1.She Tunes Out Negativity By Staying Booked And Busy
Nothing beats naysayers and hate like success. And Serena "doesn't have time" for negativity. In a recent interview with Elle, she said:
"When you enable negativity in your life, it's bound to take over. I don't have time for that mindset. I have championships to win, a beautiful daughter to raise, an amazing husband to love, a fashion line to design, philanthropic work to do, boards to advise on, and family and friends to spend time with."
We hear you, sis.
2.She Stacks Her Coins And Diversifies Her Investments
She has her own body-positive clothing line---named after herself, of course---and lucrative endorsements. And she recently teamed up with Jay-Z to invest in Indonesian coffee chain Kopi Kenengan through her own company, Serena Ventures, according to reports. The total funding from all investors for the venture tops $20 million. Her company has also invested in black- and female-owned businesses including Mayvenn, a hair extension company, and Billie, a women's shaving brand. She's invested in more than 30 startups since 2014, according to Forbes, and the portfolio is worth more than $10 million.
3.She Pushes Through, Allowing Almost Nothing To Stop Her Grind
Talk about a snapback and comeback queen. After a 2010 foot injury, she returned to the court in 2012 to win her fifth All England Club title, two gold medals in the London Olympics, and the U.S. Open. And not only was she pregnant during the 2017 Australian Open--and won--just months after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis, she was back on the court for a Grand Slam match. This year, she advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open despite injuring her ankle.
4.She Gives Back to Her Community--Locally and Globally
In 2011, Serena served as a UNiCEF International Goodwill Ambassador, advocating for children through the Schools for Africa programme and the Schools for Asia initiatives. In 2016, she and her sister, Venus, returned to their Compton, California hometown to launch the Yetunde Price Resource Center in honor of their sister who was killed in a 2003 shooting. She and Venus are also the founders of the Wiliams Sister Fund where they collaborate on philanthropic projects to help the underserved and victims of violence. Earlier this year, she recently put up her daughter's clothes for sale on Poshmark via her Posh Closet for Charity, with proceeds going toward the fund.
5.She Stands Up Against Sexism and Gender Inequality
She's always been unapologetically confident and vocal about her views on equal treatment for women on and off the court. She faced backlash---and hefty fines totaling $17,000---after referring to an umpire as a "thief" during the U.S. Open final in 2018 after he hit her with a point penalty for smashing her racket. "He's never taken a game from a man because they said 'thief.' For me it blows my mind. But I'm going to continue to fight for women," Williams said during a news conference. Tennis legend Billie Jean King co-signed her sentiments as well as many fans on social media.
She also went on record last March supporting women who filed a gender-discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. "People call me one of the "world's greatest female athletes," she wrote in an open letter on gender equality. "Do they say LeBron is one of the world's best male athletes? Is Tiger? Federer? Why not? They are certainly not female. We should never let this go unchallenged. We should always be judged by our achievements, not by our gender."
Amen. Amen.
Featured Image by Giphy
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ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Tyler James Williams Explains Why His And Quinta Brunson 'Abbott Elementary' Characters Should Remain Friends
While Abbott Elementary fans are hoping that Janine and Gregory end up together, the show’s star has another take. Tyler James Williams plays Gregory on the Emmy award-winning sitcom, and he recently stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show to share his point of view on his storyline with Janine, which Quinta Brunson plays.
“I hate to say it. I know that everybody’s always mad at me for this. I don’t necessarily want to see them together,” he revealed. “It’s partially an actor’s choice, but also somebody who, like, I read a lot of scripts all the time. I watch a lot of TV, a lot of film. I don’t think that we see displays of platonic love between two people often. I think it’s really easy to go right to they have feelings for each other, therefore they should be together. I like this dynamic of exploring withholding that and just actively loving each other where they are. That I like to see more.”
If you recall, they were co-workers who became friends but were secretly crushing on each other. They’ve had many awkward run-ins during and after school, like the unforgettable club scene where they were dancing nervously with each other in season one, and in season two, they finally kiss. However, it only made things even more awkward, and they decided to just be friends. Tyler further explained why he thinks it’s important to showcase that type of relationship on screen.
“I think it’s time for that. I think TV allows people to see things that could be their lives for the first time, and I think seeing a healthy friendship that is deeply caring about one another in a work atmosphere needs to be shown more than the relationship,” he concluded.
Abbott Elementary comes on every Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.
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Feature image by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images