Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian stepped down from the company’s board of directors Friday, and requested it replace him with a black candidate.
Ohanian made his announcement, and wishes known, in a blog post and a series of tweets. In his post, titled “What Did You Do?”, Ohanian said he made he decision to leave Reddit’s board because he wanted to set an example for his daughter, Alexis, at a time when racial issues and inequities involving black Americans have been thrust into the spotlight following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer on May 25.
Ohanian is married to professional tennis player Serena Williams. He helped found San Francisco-based Reddit in 2005.
“I have resigned as a member of the Reddit board, I have urged them to fill my seat with a black candidate,” Ohanian tweeted. “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've resigned as a member of the reddit board, I have urged them to fill my seat with a black candidate, + 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
— Alexis Ohanian Sr.
(@alexisohanian) June 5, 2020
Ohanian also said he would donate $1 million to the Know Your Rights camp legal initiative launched by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and would use future gains from his Reddit stock “to serve the black community.”
