Iga Swiatek at the Paribas Open
Coco Gauff recently opened up about her contribution to the Black Lives Matter campaign following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis police custody in May 2020.
On Wednesday, February 21, TIME Magazine honored Gauff in its ‘Women of the Year’ list, alongside Greta Gerwig, Taraji P. Henson, Leena Nair, and Claudia Goldin.
Coco Gauff has made tremendous strides as a tennis player on the women’s circuit in a short period. She turned professional at the tender age of 14 in the year 2018 and within six years, she has become a Grand Slam champion and the World No. 3.
Coco Gauff expressed pride in being among the few African American women who have achieved great heights in tennis.
“Being a Black woman, in a sport that isn’t as diverse as others are, it definitely means a lot to me,” Gauff said. (via Time)
Also, the 19-year-old’s contributions to the Black community have not been confined to the playing courts. In June 2020, she came out with a moving speech to register her protest under the Black Lives Matter campaign in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Coco Gauff was brought to tears by the unfortunate incident and ultimately decided to voice her emotions.
“It was to the point where I was crying about it, because I felt like I had to say something,” she added.
Coco Gauff laid out a simple blueprint to bridge the gap between communities
Coco Gauff’s plan to bridge the gap between the Black and Non-Black communities included three simple steps. She urged people to love one another, to begin with.
“We must first love each other no matter what. We must have the tough conversations with our friends. I’ve been spending all week having tough conversations, trying to educate my non-black friends on how they can help the movement,” she said.
The second step, according to the teen, was concerned with one’s right to vote.
“Second, we need to take action. Yes, we’re all out here protesting, and I’m not of age to vote, and it’s in your hands to vote for my future, my brother’s future and for your future,” she said.
The last measure the reigning US Open champion believed would be effective was participation.
“Third, you need to use your voice, no matter how big or small your platform is, you need to use your voice. I saw a Dr. King [Martin Luther King Jr.] quote that said, ‘The silence of the good people is worse than the brutality of the bad people.’ So, you need to not be silent. If you are choosing silence, you’re choosing the side of the oppressor,” Coco Gauff added.
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