Venus Williams – Cameron Brink speak out: Women’s sports deserve more investment

“Not only is it the right thing to invest in women’s sports, but it’s lucrative,” Williams says, while talking to PEOPLE about her partnership with Brink and SoFi

Venus Williams attends the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on June 24, 2024 in Paris, France.; Cameron Brink poses for a portrait after being drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks during the 2024 WNBA Draft on April 14, 2024 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York.
Venus Williams attends the Christian Dior Haute Couture show ; Cameron Brink poses for a portrait after being drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks at 2024 WNBA Draft. Photo: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty; Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty

Tennis legend Venus Williams and WNBA star Cameron Brink have teamed up for an inspiring initiative in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act.

Along with SoFi, Williams, 44, and Brink, 22, are launching the Give Her Credit campaign to raise awareness and offer financial support to 50 individuals in celebration of women’s rights to credit in their own name.

Speaking to PEOPLE about the importance of the initiative, Williams says, “It’s hard to really even fathom in this day and age that a woman would need a male co-signer. My mom is such a strong woman, I can’t imagine her needing a male co-signer in the ’70s to sign anything for her.”

“I actually didn’t even know about it,” Brink admits of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prompted a similar realization for the Los Angeles Spark about her mother’s experience.

“I learned that it’s a law that protects women’s rights and access to credit in their own name without a male cosigner, and I just thought it was so crazy that, gosh, when my mom was young she would’ve needed a man to help her.”

Brink says it’s “really important” to be transparent and “talk about money” as “someone who is starting to become financially independent.”

She and Williams first met two years ago in Miami, “and she was just so kind,” says Brink. “She really takes the time to make people feel seen, that’s what she did with me, and was just such an empowering person to be around,” Brink says of Williams, adding, “I’ve looked up to her for so long.”

Williams says she’s a “huge fan” of the WNBA and has been enjoying watching the league get its due attention.

“It’s just long overdue,” Williams remarks. “Not only is it the right thing to invest in women’s sports, but it’s lucrative. It makes money not only for the women playing, but those who invest.”

Venus Williams attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Amazon MGM Studios' "Challengers"
Venus Williams attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Amazon MGM Studios’ “Challengers”.Stewart Cook/Getty Images

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“Even just at the Olympics, to see the variety of athletes who are just incredible in women’s sports, to see women’s basketball grow, to see women’s soccer just be so amazing over the years, to see sports like rugby get a highlight and people being so excited about what the women are doing on that front, it’s amazing,” says Williams.

SoFi’s Give Her Credit campaign will award a total of $500,000 to 50 individuals ($10k per recipient) across the U.S. who further ECOA’s purpose through projects that support or will support women’s financial independence.

Williams tells PEOPLE that her mother and father,Richard Williams and Oracene Price, “really emphasized financial independence” for her and her sisters growing up. The tennis star says her parents encouraged the sisters to “realize the challenges that women were facing in the world and in the workplace.”

“So I’ve lived it, I’ve fought against it, and this is something that really rings true to me, and I’m really excited to be here.”

Related Posts

“IT’S TIME” – Elon Musk’s Ex-Wife Drops a Shocking and ‘Disgusting’ 8-Word Statement About Her Billionaire Ex-Husband Right After the Birth of His 13th Child

Iп a shockiпg tυrп of eveпts, Eloп Mυsk’s ex-wife has made headliпes with a coпtroversial statemeпt aboυt the billioпaire eпtrepreпeυr, jυst after пews broke that Mυsk had fathered his 13th child. The eight-word remark, which has beeп described by some …

Read more

Bill Gates Bluntly Responds to Elon Musk: Warns Against Unreasonable Demands and Overbearing Challenges, Saying He Won’t Be Forced Into Anything

Bill Gates Fires Back at Elon Musk’s Continued Taunts A Deep Dive into the Tech Titans’ Feud The simmering tension between tech titans Bill Gates and Elon Musk has erupted into a full-blown public feud. The latest salvo came from Gates, who responded …

Read more

Jeff Bezos Fires Back at Elon Musk with a Bold Move: Announces $333 Million Offer to Buy X, Sparking Outrage and a Heated Response from Musk

In a shocking turn of events, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos responded to Elon Musk in the most unexpected way—by announcing his intention to buy X (formerly Twitter) for $333 million. The move, which many called a direct provocation, sent social media …

Read more

World-Shaking Discovery: Alien Coffin Found Beneath an Egyptian Pyramid – Proof of Extraterrestrial Life Hidden for Millennia?

Archaeologists have found an alien coffin hidden beneath an Egyptian pyramid, sparking a global debate about possible evidence of extraterrestrial life on Earth. The coffin, covered with unknown symbols and unlike any Egyptian sarcophagus, contained a …

Read more

Astounding! The greatest historical mystery unfolds with the discovery of the ancient giant ‘Atlantus’ in the Andes!

Iп a sυrprisiпg archaeological fiпd made deep iп the Aпdes moυпtaiп raпge, aп iпterпatioпal team of scieпtists has υпearthed what coυld be oпe of the most iпtrigυiпg pieces of aпcieпt history: the colossυs “Atlaпtυs”, a moпυmeпtal statυe that maпy already …

Read more

Elon Musk’s Spicy Tweets To Ashley Resurface As He Refuses To Acknowledge Their Alleged Newborn

Elon Musk and Ashley St. Clair’s flirtatious messages to each other have resurfaced amid the drama over his alleged newborn baby. St. Clair—who recently begged Musk to acknowledge his role as the…

Read more

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *