Coco Gauff gushes over her mother Candi and 'honoree' grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom as they attend NCBW luncheon in Florida
Coco Gauff has gushed over her mother Candi and grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom as they attended the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW) luncheon in South Palm Beach, Florida.
Gauff's run at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart recently came to an end in the quarterfinals, with Marta Kostyuk claiming a narrow 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(6) win over the World No. 3.
During the 20-year-old's time in Germany, her mother Candi and grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom attended a luncheon sponsored by the South Palm Beach chapter of the NCBW.
Candi Gauff took to social media and shared highlights from her time at the event, congratulating her mother on being recognized as an honoree and celebrating the 10 high school scholarship recipients, which included her cousin Courtney Lowe.
"Enjoyed the luncheon today sponsored by NCBW South Palm Beach Chapter. Congratulations to the honorees, especially my mother, and the 10 high school scholarship recipients, especially my cousin Courtney Lowe," she captioned her Instagram post.
While Coco Gauff couldn't attend in person amid the ongoing European claycourt swing, she shared her support for her mother and grandmother by gushing over them in the comments section.
"Pretty😍," she commented.
Coco Gauff on her grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom: "She's the sole or one of the main reasons why I use my platform the way I do"
Coco Gauff's grandmother Yvonne Lee Odom being honored by the South Palm Beach chapter of the NCBW comes as no surprise, given the instrumental role she played in the desegregation of public schools in the area.
During her 2023 US Open campaign, Gauff opened up about her grandmother being the first Black person to attend the all-white Seacrest High School. The 20-year-old candidly discussed the racial injustice her grandmother had to endure and spoke about how she drew inspiration from her kindness.
"You know, for those who don't know, she was the first Black person to go to, it was then called Seacrest High School. She was chosen to integrate that high school, and she had to deal with a lot of stuff," she said.
"I think that happened like six months after Ruby Bridges did her integration. So, you know, she had to deal with a lot of things, like racial injustice," Gauff added. "Her leading the way that she is and being so kind to everyone regardless of their background is something that I take inspiration from.
The World No. 3 also credited her grandmother as the driving force behind her decision to use her platform to address important issues.
"Yeah, I think she's probably "the" sole or one of the main reasons why I use my platform the way that I do and why I feel so comfortable speaking out," she said.
Coco Gauff will be back in action at the Madrid Open, which commences on Tuesday, April 23.