Celebrating Arthur Ashe’s historic Wimbledon win
On Wednesday 25th June 2025, Renaissance Foundation held a gala dinner to commemorate and celebrate the legacy of Arthur Ashe. The Gala, which was held at the impressive Merchant Taylor’s Hall in the City of London, brought together a range of attendees, from Renaissance Foundation’s very own young graduates (young people that have completed the three-year programme and are still involved in the charity), to highly esteemed guests including Baroness Amos, Lady Nimmy March and Ingrid Bentzer, former Swedish tennis champion and a friend of Arthur Ashe.
The gala also hosted representatives from The Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA, the university where Ashe studied and competed on a tennis scholarship; not only did they attend, but UCLA were heavily involved with making this gala possible and Renaissance Foundation owe them huge thanks for their support and participation. Arthur Ashe’s family also made the trip from the USA to attend the dinner as guests of honour; it was wonderful to host Ashe’s sister, niece and nephew to celebrate his achievements and legacy. Bringing together a diverse range of people to celebrate Ashe’s achievements is a feat that the entire team at Renaissance Foundation is extremely proud of.
Fifty years ago, Arthur Ashe stepped foot onto Centre Court at the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to compete in the Wimbledon final against Jimmy Connors. He was the underdog: Jimmy Connors was world number one, and had been dominating the Tour. Until this point, Ashe had never beaten Connors in a match. In stunning fashion, Ashe produced a brilliant performance to beat Connors in four sets, become the first Black man to win Wimbledon. As we reach the 50th anniversary of Ashe’s win, the legacy of this victory lives on; however, some would argue that - even more impressive and impactful than this victory - was Arthur’s humanitarian work, his values and principles, and his commitment to equality and social justice. They are the same commitments and values that flow through Renaissance Foundation.
The evening began drinks in the courtyard of Merchant Taylors’ Hall. It was brilliant to be able to talk and connect with a wide range of professionals and find out more about their careers, organisations, and lives. It was also very inspiring for Renaissance Foundation’s young people to be able to speak to accomplished professionals, showing them what they could go on to achieve in the future. To officially open the celebrations and welcome guests to the dinner, there were speeches from a Renaissance Foundation graduate, Ose, and from Baroness Amos.
Ose reflected poignantly on the impact that Renaissance Foundation has made in her life and the opportunities that the charity has provided her, including attending the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, going to an F1 Press day at Silverstone and meeting Lewis Hamilton, making a podcast at Audible, and meeting Hilary Clinton. She mentioned the fact that she has “learnt many new things through Renaissance Foundation, including the legacy of Arthur Ashe and who he was”. She highlighted how “his legacy was to lift others and make the world a better place”.
Similarly, Baroness Amos spoke glowingly about “the courage that Arthur Ashe had [and the ]calmness of his demeanour”. She mentioned Ashe’s determination when “went to South Africa during apartheid, campaign[ing] vigorously against apartheid and… for civil rights”. Both Ose and Baroness Amos’ speeches really set the tone for the event, re-affirming our shared dedication, mission, and responsibility to fight for civil rights, equality, and social justice in our communities and across the world.
With the celebrations officially opened, guests were encouraged to head inside for dinner. Lady Nimmy Marsh acted as our master of ceremonies for the event, outlining the schedule for the evening and explaining the importance of the event. Before everybody tucked into their starters, a video was launched sharing interviews with tennis superstars who had been inspired by Ashe’s legacy, and exclusive insight shared by Ashe’s brother, Johnnie. After the video, Renaissance Foundation’s Youth Engagement Manager, Corey, spoke more about the charity’s work supporting and empowering young people, how guests could help work with the charity, and he reflected on the achievements of many of the young people Renaissance Foundation have worked with.
Before the main course, further speeches and anecdotes on Ashe’s life and legacy were shared with guests. Our guests of honour, Ashe’s family, spoke about his character, his example, and how he is an inspiration for them to also make change in their communities. These sentiments were shared by our guests from UCLA, with Dr. Robert Cooper, Director of the Arthur Ashe Legacy at UCLA, delivering a keynote address celebrating Ashe’s legacy both on and off the tennis court: “In remembering Arthur Ashe, we remember what it means to lead with dignity, to fight with purpose, and to serve with a heart unshaken by adversity.”
After a final video sharing Micaiah’s (one of Renaissance Foundation’s graduates) story, the night’s closing speech was delivered by Renaissance Foundation’s CEO, Sat Singh. "Arthur Ashe exemplifies the spirit of Renaissance Foundation as a powerful role model who excelled in his field and made a positive impact in society," he said. "This 50th anniversary celebration is an opportunity to introduce Arthur Ashe's legacy to younger generations who may not have heard of him and showcase his story to help empower our young people."
Young people like Ose and Micaiah are glowing examples of what happens when we truly invest in young people. However, the Arthur Ashe 50th Anniversary Celebration Dinner was an inspirational event for all of us. Having the opportunity to connect with impressive people was amazing, but the most inspiring and impactful thing about the night was seeing how Arthur Ashe inspired so many great people to come together.