Long champions of social justice, black athletes say their voices are needed now more than ever

FOR WNBA veteran Natasha Cloud, speaking up about social justice is just as important as winning basketball games.
Cloud has had a successful nine-year pro career that includes a WNBA championship and being the career-assists leader for her former Washington Mystics. She has also used her platform for social justice advocacy — from sitting out the 2020 WNBA season to focus on community reform efforts, to joining protests after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
If winning “is all I do with my career, then I have failed,” said Cloud, who now plays for the Connecticut Sun. “Who would I be to not utilise practice time and camera time and all these things to create change within the communities that mean the most to me?”
More from this author

While the subject matter is sobering and serious, this isn't your run-of-the-mill polemic, write INDIE PURCELL

An absolute must for those who love film and graphic novels, writes INDIANNA PURCELL
Similar stories

With more visibility comes more online harassment, write NOREEN NASIR and BRITTANY PETERSON

Nepotism debate surrounding LeBron and Bronny James stems from a longstanding stigma in the US, writes ALANIS THAMES

Rise of women's sports brings greater emphasis on maternity and parental needs