The world has Archie Harrison and Alexis Olympia Ohanian to thank for the work being done by Meghan Markle and Alexis Ohanian.
The Duchess of Sussex and co-founder of Reddit revealed in a discussion for the TIME 100 Talks that they're motivated to improve the social media space because of their "shared experiences" as parents of mixed race children.
Alexis is dad to his 2-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian with Serena Williams, while Meghan and Prince Harry welcomed son Archie in May 2019.
For Alexis, his mission to diversify the tech industry began during his time at Reddit. He said that he witnessed firsthand the impact that these platforms have in perpetuating racial injustices, which is what led to his resignation earlier this year, amid the protests over George Floyd's death.
But he said that his good deed hasn't gone unpunished, sharing, "Well, you know, I just remarked recently on Twitter that given that I am still getting hate mail about it, I knew I made the right choice. Because sadly, you know we're at a place in this country where there is still a lot of work to be done, a lot of work to be done."
Alexis added that he's willing to face the consequences if it means improving the lives of his wife, Serena, and his daughter, Olympia. "And I thought about the role that it plays and the role that all social media companies play in our society and the world that it's shaping for everyone including people like my daughter, like my wife," he reflected, "I knew that I had a responsibility to be able to answer her when she asked me in 10 years—when she's a snarky teenager—you know, what I did to help be a part of making things better for her."
Meghan, who has encountered her fair share of discrimination since joining the royal family, replied in part, "I know we have shared experiences in being in interracial marriages and you know raising small children who are of mixed race and how that plays into that."
Alexis went on to share that his relationship with Serena gave him the "perspective" he previously lacked. He explained, "I've had so many moments in my life where I was given the benefit of the doubt, where I never felt unsafe, where I always felt heard, where I did not realize until I was in a relationship with someone who has achieved as much as she has and still regularly deals with this in painful frustrating ways."
"And as a husband you just get outraged, and then especially now in the role as a father, I just can't help but want to create a world that is just fair to my daughter," Alexis continued. "And I know that that's lofty, but it's a thing worth—worth striving toward."
Meghan previously touched on her motivations, saying in an Oct. 13 interview that she frequently asks herself, "How can I make this world better for Archie?"
But with the United States still in the heat of the pandemic, she and Prince Harry said they're more focused on being present for their 1-year-old son.
In a separate conversation with Editor-in-Chief and CEO of TIME Edward Felsenthal, Meghan shared, "For us, we're trying to embrace all of the quality time we get with our son right now and to not miss a single moment of his growth and development, which has been really special."
Meghan and Harry have certainly been relishing this new chapter in their lives following their departure from the royal family. Since moving to California, the Duke and Duchess have relocated to a home in Santa Barbara, Calif., enjoyed dinners with friends and participated in a handful of talks on social justice.