It’s been 21 years since Serena and Venus Williams endured a heartbreaking loss that heavily impacted their lives. Their older sister, Yetunde Price, tragically passed away at just 31 in a fatal shooting in a Los Angeles suburb.

Despite the passage of time, the love and memories they hold for Yetunde have only grown stronger. Now, the Williams sisters are transforming their grief into something powerful and meaningful—a tribute through philanthropy.

The younger Williams sister, Serena, took to her Instagram account and shared an inspiring initiative that she, along with Venus, would be engaging in.

The sisters have continued to reflect their love for Price time and again highlighting how much she meant to them.

And now, with the latest initiative through the Yetunde Price Resource Centre, they aim to reduce inequity, knit society into a safer space, and overcome the stereotypes and challenges that many people have continued to face.

Serena shared two pictures with her sisters on her social media post, which also included Price. Captioning the post, she shared details of her philanthropic activities.

“This #GivingTuesday, we invite you to join us in making a meaningful impact for communities across the country. Our philanthropy focuses on helping individuals and communities mitigate the repercussions of inequity,” Williams wrote.

Continuing further, she highlighted that the motivation behind the same comes from the inequalities that she and Venus have experienced in their lives.

“Drawing on our lived experiences of—breaking the cycle of poverty, navigating the gender pay gap, stigmas around seeking mental health and wellness care, tackling disparities in women’s health, and access to capital for all including women and people of color (Serena Ventures)—we are committed to raising awareness, funds, and providing programming to communities in need of resources.” 

Interestingly, the sisters are expanding their philanthropic activities to the entire United States and are using the Yetunde Price Resource Center, to also honor their late sister.

Detailing the initiative, Williams wrote, “This year, we’re proud to announce that we are expanding our philanthropic footprint nationwide with the Yetunde Price Resourceful Community Awards, honoring the memory of our beloved sister, Yetunde Price, supporting centers and organizations that can show demonstrated impact in the community.”

 For the unversed, the  Yetunde Price Resource Center is a non-profit organization set up by the Williams sisters in 2016 and initially aimed at offering free programs and resources to trauma-affected individuals and families in the Compton area. But now, the scope of its initiatives would include the entire nation.

This, however, is not the first time when Serena Williams and Venus Williams have made such an initiative in the name of their late sister.

In 2023, the Williams sisters used the art of celebrated artist Ernie Barnes, whose vivid imagery depicted a world of harmony and unity between diverse communities, backgrounds, and races.

Through YPRC, the Williams sisters auctioned four never-before-seen works to raise funds. The fund generated through the auction was then used to help people and families affected by brutality and injury. But the sisters have not paid homage to Price only through philanthropy works.

Both Serena Williams and Venus Williams have time and again come forward to share memories they spent with Price expressing the void she left behind in their lives.

Yetunda Price shared an adorable bond with Venus and Serena Williams 

Despite being related to some of the most famous athletes in the world, Yetunde Price made sure never to let the fame get to her head.

A regular fixture in the stands during her sisters’ matches, Price liked to fund her own travel, no matter how expensive. Many reports have also suggested that Price even refused any handouts from Serena or Venus and only accepted money is she earned it as their personal assistant.

In fact, many of Price’s friends did not know that she was closely related to Serena until they them sitting together on television

“I called two days later and said, ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’,” Yetunde’s friend and neighbor Kameesha Keece once recalled the conversation with Price to which she responded, “I wanted to make friends for who I am.” Her relationship with her sisters was immensely adorable too.

Serena admitted that Price changed her diapers when she was a kid. And this close bond was in fact admitted by Price herself in an interview with People in August 2003, shortly before her demise.

Speaking about whether Venus and Serena’s fame put the spotlight away from her within the family and if she had regrets about it, Price denied any such thing. “They’re still my sisters,” she said. “We don’t get into the fame thing too much when we’re all together as a family.”

While her departure has definitely left a void in the hearts of the Williams sisters, they have continued to remind us all of the strength that comes from turning pain into purpose.