This year we’ve witnessed a lot of #BlackGirlMagic, from
Meghan Markle’s royal wedding to
Beychella. And of course, there was the continued reign of Serena Williams returning to tennis, proving to the world that she’s still an athletic powerhouse.
Williams not only reminded us of her prowess on the tennis courts, but off the court she continues to give us causes to care about, including her recent involvement with Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse campaign.
For the second year, Williams has joined forces with Allstate’s non-profit initiative to design a handbag that represents the financial abuse experienced by 99 percent of domestic violence victims. And in support of National Domestic Violence Awareness this month, Williams’ handbag has been transformed into a backpack to help service more than 500,000 domestic violence survivors that are aided through the campaign.
Williams told ESSENCE that “this effort created conversation around a cause in a new and different way.”
“For this year’s purse design, my goal was to craft something able to hold all the necessities for my daily life, from running errands to business meetings to practice,” the tennis star continued. “Every woman relies on their handbag as home base for all of life’s essentials. A backpack is practical, but through the design and material selection, we were able to create a stylish, modern bag, perfect for everyday wear, that can easily transition into evening with its rich purple tones.”
Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations at Allstate Insurance Company
, Vicky Dinges, also told ESSENCE why Williams was the perfect spokesperson for the campaign.
“As a tennis champion, philanthropist, businesswoman and mother, Serena is a powerful champion for women’s empowerment,”she began in a statement. “Her influential voice has and will continue to engage new audiences, in an important conversation about the often-invisible issue of financial abuse.With Allstate Foundation Purple Purse Ambassador Serena Williams joining us to raise awareness of the signs of financial abuse, we hope more people will be aware of its prevalence and its warning signs, and speak up about the issue. It’s going to take everyone talking about it to solve it.”
Please visit
purplepurse.com for more information on Williams’ campaign initiative.
