Gracious God, we give you thanks for the life and witness of Arthur Ashe, who died on this day in 1993. To this day the only man of African descent to win the singles titles at the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open, he was also a civil rights and HIV-AIDS activist, scholar of the experience of Black athletes, and proud Bruin. Lord of all, let us especially remember the hatred and prejudice Arthur overcame to succeed. Notwithstanding yesterday’s enactment of a temporary federal trans ban in women’s sports, may every athlete, however you have fashioned them, hear your quiet voice saying, “Yes, you can.” Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.Gracious God, we give you thanks for the life and witness of Arthur Ashe, who died on this day in 1993. To this day the only man of African descent to win the singles titles at the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and the Australian Open, he was also a civil rights and HIV-AIDS activist, scholar of the experience of Black athletes, and proud Bruin. Lord of all, let us especially remember the hatred and prejudice Arthur overcame to succeed. Notwithstanding yesterday’s enactment of a temporary federal trans ban in women’s sports, may every athlete, however you have fashioned them, hear your quiet voice saying, “Yes, you can.” Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.