00:00 Good evening.
00:01 Being here tonight and standing in front of all of you
00:03 is an incredible honor.
00:05 The women in this room are my role models.
00:08 And for me to be asked to share a few words with you,
00:12 that's crazy.
00:14 Seriously.
00:16 When I started playing tennis at the age of six,
00:18 my dad, who's here with me tonight,
00:21 told me you can change the world with your racket.
00:24 And I believed him.
00:25 I believed him because the woman in my life
00:27 and the women in this room who showed me
00:30 that a little girl with big dreams
00:31 can go on to do great things.
00:34 My grandmother, Yvonne, was the first black woman
00:37 to integrate the Delray Beach school system,
00:39 has encouraged me to use my platform for positive change
00:42 and to never underestimate the impact of my voice.
00:46 Venus and Serena Williams, who--
00:49 Venus and Serena Williams, who through their resilience,
00:51 passion, and greatness paved the way for athletes like me
00:55 to dream big and chase those dreams.
00:57 Michelle Obama, the epitome of grace, strength,
01:00 and empowerment, taught me that it's OK to say no
01:03 and to be thoughtful about how and where I focus my impact.
01:07 And the list goes on and on and on.
01:09 Tennis has provided me with an opportunity
01:12 to pass that belief onto young girls who see themselves in me.
01:15 Each and every day, I get the chance
01:17 to connect with the next generation
01:19 of influential women.
01:20 Girls who came up to me at tournaments
01:22 or reach out on social media, girls
01:24 who are confident and fearless, girls
01:26 who are proud to celebrate who they are,
01:28 embrace our identity, and stay true to themselves.
01:31 Last December, I was given the honor
01:33 of being the Grand Marshal of the Delray Beach Holiday Parade.
01:37 And riding through that parade, it
01:38 hit me that 63 years ago, my grandmother
01:41 had to fight for girls like me to even have fair education.
01:44 And now, generations later, I'm able to make my own impact
01:49 on that same city, but only because
01:51 of what she accomplished.
01:55 Waving to the young girls in tennis,
01:57 knowing that my presence and influence of what
01:59 they see in their own lives is incredibly meaningful.
02:02 And yet, I turn 20.
02:04 And in just about a week, I'm still a teenager.
02:06 I'm still learning to use my voice.
02:08 And I'm still being inspired by all the great women around me
02:11 and the spotlight on empowering women
02:14 and supporting each other.
02:15 Our impact is strongest when we work together.
02:19 Thank you for inspiring me.
02:20 Thank you for believing in me.
02:21 And thank you for showing me that the sky is the limit.
02:24 And no matter our age, let's continue to dream big together.
02:27 Thank you.
02:27 [APPLAUSE]
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