Venus Williams joins efforts to save Nina Simone’s old house

As a push to help recovery Nina SimoneThe tennis star’s childhood home is currently underway Venus Williams are joining the effort!

Athletes supporting the Nina Simone Childhood Home Project

The news came earlier this week through a press release from the National Commission for Historic Preservation. According to the statement, Venus will specifically help arrange an upcoming auction to support Nina Simone’s Childhood Home project.

The initiative to restore the site—located in Tryon, North Carolina—began shortly after artists Adam Pendleton, Rashid Johnson, Julie Mehretu and Ellen Gallagher teamed up to buy the home for $95,000 in 2017.

Since the artists listed the house as a “National Treasure” in 2018, various fundraising efforts have brought in a total of about $500,000 to date.

However, Venus Williams has now joined the effort, and she aims to help preserve Nina Simone’s legacy by raising money to restore the house! In fact, she and Adam Pendleton aim to raise a whopping $5 million.

How Venus Williams is working to protect Nina Simone’s house. https://t.co/4QZIe3tD2t

– Smithsonian Magazine (@SmithsonianMag) March 17, 2023

Venus Williams admits that Nina Simone has been ‘a huge inspiration to so many people’

Regarding her participation in the initiative, Venus said that she is “excited to be a part of this expansive project.” We should also point out that the athlete called it a “privilege” to help arrange the upcoming art auction.

“I am delighted to be part of an expansion project focusing on the life and legacy of Nina Simone, who has been a huge inspiration to so many. Every artist Adam and I have selected for auction has a strong, unique voice, and we are touched by their generosity and enthusiasm for this important cause. It was an honor to collaborate with Adam in managing the auction.”

As for Adam Pendleton, he said that the legacy of Nina Simone—“one of the most important musical artists of the twentieth century”—must be preserved and simply “cannot be forgotten.”

The auction will take place May 20 at the Pace Gallery in New York City. However, the online bidding will start on May 12 and end on May 22, and you can find out more details here.

Thank you Venus Williams for joining the commendable effort to help restore Nina Simone’s childhood home!