Thank You Serena. More Than a Dance.

Wimbledon 2012. Serena Williams had just clinched Olympic gold, and in her moment of triumph, she busted out the Crip Walk—a dance move with deep roots in West Coast hip-hop culture. Critics were quick to pounce. Jason Whitlock, a former sports writer who happens to be black, didn’t hold back, saying her dance was “akin to cracking a tasteless, X-rated joke inside a church.” And The Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke suggested that Serena’s move showed “how long she’s been away from home, separated from violence and death associated with that dance.” They asked her to apologize. She did not. I didn’t pay attention to any of it.

Fast forward to the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. There she was again, our heroine Serena, joining Kendrick Lamar on stage and confidently Crip Walking like nobody’s business. This time, it wasn’t just a dance; it seemed more like a statement. Reflecting on the past, Serena said after she danced, “Man, I did not Crip Walk like that at Wimbledon! Ooh, I would’ve been fined!”

Now, let’s talk about the audience. President Donald Trump was in attendance, making history as the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl. Alongside him were political in this moment heavyweights like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott. While they were there for the game or to be seen in such a large stadium as the victors of this moment in political history, remains to be seen. Kendrick and Serena were there making a statement about resilience, culture, and the power of unity.

In the aftermath of the 2024 election, it feels like we’ve scorched the earth and are now in the process of rebuilding. Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Perhaps the foundation we had was shaky to begin with, or even worse, smoke and mirrors, and this is our chance to construct something real, something authentic. But let’s be clear: this new foundation will include everyone. It’s going to be a fight to ensure that happens, but it’s a fight worth having.

And as time passes, I am heartened by the different ways our talented melting pot of humans who make up my beloved America are finding to fight. Yes, it’s a fight we could lose, I get that. But it is a fight that needed to be fought and can be won.

The Super Bowl halftime show was a battle in its own right. Two teams—one that supports MAGA big time and another that fought it the first time DT was in power by refusing to come to the White House after their Super Bowl win. It is my profound hope that Philadelphia, with its cracked bell of freedom, will do the same thing this time around. What a city. What a team. What an America.

And there’s also a part of me that takes a bit of pleasure in knowing that the profound messages of the halftime performance likely sailed over the bloated heads of the politicians who came to celebrate great (many black) athletes playing for a predominantly white audience. Listen up. Our country is a beautiful mosaic of diverse, amazing humans. Some folks might think they can easily sideline these voices, but they’re in for a surprise. This isn’t going to be a walk in the park. We’re here, we’re vibrant, and we’re not going anywhere without making our presence felt. I will admit we are getting a late start, but in the end, it’s the finish line that tells the story, not the starting gate.

But to have the fight effectively, we have to recognize that this is a fight for a white America or a diverse America. There was Aryan Germany fighting for control, and in Hungary, it’s a white oligarchy, and here, we are fighting for a melting-pot America versus mostly white racist men. We have been dancing around this reality for years and years. Pretending it’s not what it is, and in this moment, in this time in history - well, we no longer have that luxury. It’s about racism and it’s about those with money thinking they should be in charge of those without.

I have never been more proud to be me in America than I am at this historical moment. I am fighting. More and more people are finding ways to fight effectively, and I am hopeful for a future that we can all say is justice for all.

Thank you, Serena and Kendrick Lamar, and the Eagles, for showing who is the stronger of the two factions. Best Super Bowl ever!