Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian's Powerful Campaign for #PaidFamilyLeave

After the remarkable Serena Williams won the US Open while pregnant, she rightfully took a well-deserved maternity break. Her sponsor, Nike, stepped up and ensured Serena received full pay throughout 2017. It was during this time, when Serena was expecting her daughter Olympia, that her husband, Alexis Ohanian, came to a powerful realization about the importance of paid family leave for everyone's well-being. Alexis became a passionate advocate for this cause, driven by Serena's near-death post-natal experience.

In June, Alexis's advocacy made its way to the GMA3 show on ABC News, thanks to the efforts of congressional representative Colin Allred, who raised the issue of paid family leave. Now, Alexis is back in the NFL territory, championing this crucial cause once again.

As a former NFL player turned politician running for the U.S. Senate, Alexis Ohanian's vision holds immense potential for widespread implementation if Allred emerges victorious. Recently, an NFL analyst received paid maternity leave, and Alexis Ohanian celebrated this progressive move with a heartfelt message to the soon-to-be-mom.

Serena, affectionately known as "Momma Smash," faced severe health complications during childbirth, leaving her traumatized. Fully aware of the importance of paternal leave, Alexis took a remarkable sixteen-week paternity leave to care for his family. But he couldn't help but wonder about those who had to make the heart-wrenching choice between family and earnings.

This dilemma deeply troubled the tech titan, compelling him to become a staunch advocate for paid parental leave without any compromises. When news broke of ESPN's NFL analyst, Mina Kimes, receiving paid maternity leave, Alexis Ohanian extended his warm wishes to her. He shared a touching video tribute posted by AAJA Sports on X, where ESPN paid heartfelt homage to its NFL panelist.

Kimes's colleagues shared heartwarming messages, and the video aired live on ESPN. Sharing the clip, Ohanian emphasized the importance of normalizing #PaidFamilyLeave. In his words, "Keep normalizing #PaidFamilyLeave — all the best @minakimes & have a great maternity leave!! We’re all excited for you to come back, but we know some things in life are, in fact, even more important than football."

When Serena and Alexis welcomed their second daughter, Adira River, into the world, the Reddit co-founder continued to prioritize his family. He reminded everyone about the work yet to be done and his unwavering commitment to normalizing paid parental leave, especially paternity leave. Serena's husband also reflected on the initial victories achieved after Allred's support.

A little over a week ago, the American investor took to Instagram to share a heartfelt post. His caption read, "I started this fight when Olympia was born because I realized how lucky I was, and we took the fight to Congress and did get 12 weeks of parental leave for all federal employees (and recently including military!) — we have much more to do. More to come."

Currently on paternity leave, Alexis Ohanian is relishing quality time with his family. However, he's well aware of the responsibility he's shouldered. Inspired by Katelin Holloway, the vice president of people and culture, Alexis actively contributes to turning this vision into a reality.

In the United States, it's alarming to know that one in every four women returns to work within just two weeks of giving birth. Alexis Ohanian, together with his ally Representative Allred, is on a mission to ensure that every American is entitled to paid family leave. It's a long battle, but their determination to fight for the well-being of all Americans is unwavering.