Alexis Ohanian understands the value of seeing the world through a child’s eyes, and it is earning him praise from supporters on social media. The Reddit co-founder and Serena Williams are parents to the 6-year-old and daughter Adira, 1.
The tech entrepreneur recently posted a clip of an October 2024 interview for “Gayle King in the House,” where he revealed how his mini-me has inspired the work he is doing in women’s sports. “Being blessed to have two Black daughters in particular helps me reframe even some of the most subtle things,” he told King.
For instance, the father-daughter duo have a Sunday golfing routine that has served as a classroom of sorts for Alexis far beyond picking up tips on how to swing a club. “I’m her Daddy Caddy. I don’t know how to play golf. I never play golf,” he admits.
His firstborn eventually leaves him behind for private lessons. The VC investor continued, “It only dawned on me recently, this whole time Olympia thinks that golf isn’t just for girls, but she also thinks that all the old white guys on the driving range are just dads waiting to pick up their daughters who play golf.”
The innocent perspective has been transformative for the women’s sports advocate. He launched Athlos, a track and field startup, in 2024, offering unprecedented $60,000 prizes for first-place winners. His goal is to revolutionize funding for the sport beyond the Olympics’ hype.
Olympia’s outlook, though, “is one of the really positive things,” said the proud girl dad. “I know there’s going to be harder conversations in the future. But this is all the more reason why I feel compelled to do this work that aligns so many things that I care about,” he remarked.
In the comments on the Instagram, where he reshared the snippet, a fan gushed, “The way he said Black daughters with no hesitation, lets me know they talk about real issues in their household. I love that for this family!!!” A second follower shared, “Her believing that all white men on the golf course are just daddy caddy’s is amazing.”
On TikTok, his post received a similar outpouring of responses. One person commented, “The world views them as black, the fact that he realized that means that he will be better equipped to deal with the micro aggression!”
Another perspective read, “Serena deserves this man and this type of love. For as much as people and the media pick that woman apart, she comes home to a man who sees her and their daughter through a lens of love and respect.” Alexis and the tennis legend have been together since 2015 and married since 2017.
