Born and raised in Detroit, Kenyata never could have imagined she would be starting a non-profit tennis organization. Now a Charlotte native of nearly four years she used the pandemic to take the opportunity to learn the sport. She soon realized the apparent diversity gap within the sport and wanted to do something about it. As a new player, she was met with the lack of opportunity to play with other people and not so welcoming courts. So, she wanted to create a dynamic for new players like herself. 
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This led Kenyata to create a Meet-up welcoming people of color that were interested in creating a black tennis community within the Queen City. With hope for only a few players, she was astonished to see nearly thirty people show up. Immediately recognizing the apparent need for such a resource, the Charlotte Black Tennis Club was created. 

 

Kenyata has now been playing tennis for over 2-years and hopes to continually grow and expand. She hopes to increase the engagement of black families in the sport of tennis while providing safe and fun opportunities within the inner cities of Charlotte. 

Originally from Queens, New York, Raven has spent most of her time in North Carolina, recently making Charlotte, NC, her new home before the pandemic.

 

Tennis first piqued Raven's interest after watching  Venus and Serena take tennis by storm in the early 2000s. This led to her picking up her first racket at age 11, participating in city-sponsored recreational tennis camps, and even having the chance to compete in local junior doubles tournaments. She continued to play recreationally through her teenage years. 

 

When relocating to Charlotte, Raven wanted to pick up the sport again and was fortunate to come across the first official group meet-up for Charlotte Black Tennis Club. Raven then saw the opportunity to bridge her childhood hobby with her passion for community organizing. She envisions drawing on the traditions of black communal movements and organizing to increase equity and tennis access for marginalized communities.