DFW Black Tennis: A Love Letter to Legacy, Representation & Community
I am a proud product of Black tennis. My journey in the sport didn’t begin on a country club court or in an elite academy; it began in the heart of community, culture, and legacy, I grew up hitting balls at Southeast Tennis and Learning Center in Washington, D.C., a place that didn’t just teach forehands and backhands, but built confidence, discipline, and purpose. From there, I played at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center (now Legacy Tennis Center) in Philadelphia, PA, where the spirit of one of our greatest trail blazers was not just memorialized, but alive in every serve, every lesson, and every child who dared to dream.
Upon graduating high school, I continued to play tennis at Tuskegee University. There I wasn’t just an athlete, I became a piece of history. Competing on courts that had seen generations of Black excellence affirmed everything I’d known: that we belonged here. That we always belonged here.
My first Wilson racquet (2002)
But stepping into the broader tennis world, it became painfully clear that Black faces were often the exception, not the norm. Whether at tournaments, in coaching circles, or in leadership roles, our presence was limited, and our stories were underrepresented. I realized the spaces that nurtured me were rare, and I knew that had to change.
That’s why I created DFW Black Tennis.
DFW Black Tennis One Year Celebration (2024)
DFW Black Tennis is more than an organization; it’s a movement. It’s about cultivating a safe and affirming space where Black players, coaches, and families are seen, celebrated, and supported. It’s about preserving our stories while paving new paths. It’s about showing the next generation that tennis is not only for them, it needs them.
Representation in tennis matters. Not just because it’s inspiring to see someone who looks like you on the court, but because it tells you that your presence is powerful, that your identity is valid, and that your dreams are possible. When kids see themselves reflected in the sport, it plants seeds of belonging that can bloom into confidence, leadership, and lifelong passion.
I created DFW Black Tennis to honor those who came before me and to invest in those who are coming next. Because we deserve to be here; not just as players, but as decision-makers, innovators, and changemakers in this sport. We belong on the court, in the boardroom, and everywhere in between.
This is my why. This is my purpose. And this is just the beginning.
USTA Leadership Development Fellow (2025)
