
Serena Williams Is Proof That Even Without Her Costume, She’s Still A Superhero

In 2001, Serena Williams stepped out onto the courts of Indian Wells to play against Belgian opponent, Kim Clijsters.
There, Serena was showered with boos and racial slurs from the crowd's spectators. Despite winning the game, Serena vowed never to return (she returned 14 years later, in 2015), refusing to subject herself to the game's bigots and naysayers.
In 2004, during the U.S. Open semifinals, Serena was singled out by the distinguished tennis chair umpire, Marina Alves. Alves was excused from officiating any more matches on the final day of the U.S. Open after she made five bad calls against Serena in her semifinal matchup against American, Jennifer Capriati. Unable to see past Serena's black body, the serves and returns Alves called out were landing, impressively unreturned, and inside the lines. Nevertheless, with the help of the umpire, Capriati won against Serena Williams.
The Tennis Association called Serena and apologized for their umpire's errors and a year later, that match was credited for demonstrating the need for the installation of Hawk Eye, the line-calling technology that took the seeing away from only the umpires and line judges.
In 2009, Serena was again the subject of racial discrimination during the U.S. Open semifinals, playing against Kim Clijsters. The umpire, Louise Engzell, was accused of "over-officiating" when she called a foot fault against Serena that no one else was able to locate, despite the numerous replays. After continuous bad calls, Serena gets frustrated and yells at the linewoman, something that several players do in moments of frustration. However, unlike several players, Serena's outburst resulted in a point penalty resulting in the loss of the match, an $82,500 fine, plus a two-year probationary period by the Grand Slam Committee.
Serena dealt with racial discrimination, once again, in the 2012 Olympics, when she brought home the only two gold medals Americans would win in tennis. Her celebratory dance was likened to the "Crip-walk" and was considered "immature and tactless."
In 2014, Williams withdrew from a doubles match with her sister, Venus, because she was "dehydrated, dizzy, and feverish." Nevertheless, despite having proof of her symptoms, Serena was drug tested the next day and had to address comments of her being drunk, drugged, or pregnant during the match.
In 2018, according to Deadspin, Serena Williams has been tested for performance-enhancing drugs more than twice as often as other top American women players. In a statement to Laura Wagner, Serena's team said that "the testing was invasive and targeted."
Now, for what seems like the thousandth time, Serena Williams has been targeted by the French Tennis Federation president, Bernard Giudicelli over her French Open attire. According to BBC Sports, Serena Williams will be banned from wearing her striking black catsuit at the French Open, with the tournament set to introduce a stricter dress code.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion said the outfit made her feel like a "superhero" at the Roland Garros this year. Made by Nike, Williams stated that the outfit helped her cope with the issue of blood clots, which she said almost resulted in her death, after giving birth.
In an interview with Tennis Magazine, Giudicelli specifically mentioned Williams' last year outfit and remarked, "It will no longer be accepted." Further saying:
"I believe we have sometimes gone too far. You have to respect the game and the place."
The decision left tennis fans enraged, and many took to social media to raise their voice in dissent. While someone asked how it was okay to wear revealing dresses on the court and not a body suit that covered her entire body and was made for health reasons.
Nike came out to support Williams and slammed the French Open's new dress code saying, "You can take the superhero out of her costume, but you can never take away her superpowers."
Although repeatedly racially discriminated against while playing the game as fairly as any player possibly could, the tennis star steadily reminds us of her superpowers even without her cape. In a pre-tournament news conference that took place on Saturday (August 25), Serena touched on the newly instated catsuit ban:
"I think that obviously, the Grand Slams have a right to do what they want to do. I feel like if and when, or if they know that some things are for health reasons, then there's no way that they wouldn't be okay with it. So I think it's fine. The president of the French Federation, he's been really amazing. He's been so easy to talk to. My whole team is basically French, so, yeah, we have a wonderful relationship."
With a smile, she also added:
"When it comes to fashion, you don't want to be a repeat offender."
As any hero does, Serena Williams maintains grace under fire and acts in alignment with her higher purpose. For almost 23 years, Serena Williams has shown us that despite the naysayers, the bullies, the critics, and the odds being stacked against her, she will do nothing but rise.
Now, Serena is scheduled to play in Round 128 of the U.S Open, seeded No. 17. She was the runner-up at Wimbledon in July and is favored to place in the U.S Open finals. If she wins, she will tie with Margaret Court as the most successful tennis player of the Open era. Arguably the greatest athlete of our time, it'll be a crown the queen more than deserves.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
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Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
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