In a surprising move, one of the co-founders of Reddit has resigned from the company and has called for the social media platform to replace him with a black candidate.
Alexis Ohanian also said he was pledging $1 million to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp.
Reddit co-founder resigns
Alexis Ohanian, the 27-year-old co-founder of Reddit, has resigned from his position on the board of the company on Friday.
In a Twitter post, Ohanian said that he is stepping down from his position 15 years after founding the app because he has to be able to answer his black daughter when she asks what he did to help.
Ohanian started his message with these comments:
“Fifteen years ago I co-founded Reddit as a place for people to find community and a sense of belonging,” Ohanian began in a message to his followers on social media. “It is long overdue to do the right thing.”
Ohanian is married to tennis star Serena Williams, and they have one daughter together and then promised to use his wealth to help the Black Lives Matter cause.
“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.”
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
He then delivered a direct shot to many people in power when he followed up on his Twitter account by saying that resigning from a position of power can be an act of leadership to help fix “our broken nation.”
— Alexis Ohanian Sr. ? (@alexisohanian) June 5, 2020
The move comes following a week-long series of protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer.
Many of the protests were answered with more police brutality as well as the threat to send in military forces to attack protesters as well.
Protesters calling for more resignations
While men like Alexis Ohanian are doing what they can to stand in support of the protesters and the Black Lives Matter movement, many are asking for resignations of people in positions of power in the government.
Rolling Stone reports that calls have come for the resignation of Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles and Mayor Bill De Blasio of New York to resign from their position of power as well.
Serena Williams also has spoken up this week as well, with the protests continuing.
This is from 2016. We need to #DoBetter pic.twitter.com/58DYEnDFRA
— Alexis Ohanian Sr. ? (@alexisohanian) June 1, 2020
“The worst part is this is nothing new, ‘it’s just filmed,'” Williams wrote, “I’m with a heavy heart. I’m lost for words.”