Venus Williams spoke to Los Angeles Magazine about her efforts to bring attention to homelessness, education and health care in L.A.
Williams, a 7-time grand slam champion, is one of several women featured in Blue Shield of California's advertising campaign, titled ”Hear Me.”
Venus Williams is using her platform to help those in need of healthcare, education and homes in the city she was raised.
“It’s so important to talk about these topics because if we’re not talking about them, then we can’t address them,” Williams told Los Angeles. “So we have to have these conversations and then we’re able to start to have action.”
That action includes partnering with Blue Shield of California to help bring attention to the bias that exists today in healthcare. Williams wanted to work with the organization in order to spread awareness on a variety of issues including her auto-immune disorder Sjorgren’s Syndrome, mental health, black maternal health, fitness and wellness.
“It’s so important to service the use of the community. I’ve worked with Blue Shield on the ‘Hear Me’ campaign recently and it highlighted people whose voices haven’t been heard, which is disproportionately women and women of color,” Williams said. “I want to make sure these voices are heard and that we’re serving a community — and this is my community, I was born right here in Southern California.”
Read the full story here.