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Reddit Co-founder Alexis Ohanian Takes a Bold Step to Support the Black Community
Serena Williams & husband Alexis Ohanian
Serena Williams’ husband and co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian announced his resignation from the company’s board today, saying he is stepping down and urging the company to replace him with a black candidate.
It comes as the protests in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died at the hands of US police officers in Minnesota.
Ohanian made this know in a post he shared on Instagram, asking the management of the global forum to hire a black candidate in his stead. He also promised to use his future gains on Reddit stock to serve the black community.
He wrote:
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 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.
