Power of the Dream Inspires, Educates and Pumps up the WNBA’s Activism

Imagine being exposed to your first group of women of color ball players in Australia who shared their joys, frustrations and accomplishments with me about playing ball.  How wonderful is it for a whole new generation to be aspired and inspired women who are athletic, intelligent and not afraid to break barriers one hoop at a time.  But, nothing could prepare me for the WNBA  activism and power brought while elevating Dr. King’s dream to levels that would become unsurpassed.

Directed by Dawn Porter, Power of the Dream is the empowering  true story of how a group of professional  players took on their owner, rallied behind now-Senator Raphael Warnock, forever changing the landscape of their sport and the course of American politics.

Presented by Prime Video Sports, Power of the Dream  offers first hand accounts from legends like 4-time WNBA chanmp Sue Bird,  retired WNBA-star Angel McCoughtry, Layshia Clarendon of the Los Angeles Sparks, Elizabeth Williams of the Chicago Sky, and Nneka Ogwumike of the Seattle Storm, as well as media personalities Jemele Hill and Holly Rowe. We learn of teams dealing with microaggressions, salary inequities, biased media coverage, non support of LGBTQ+ players and the ultimate betrayal from one of their own, these women made sure that shut up and dribble was not going to define their legacy.

This bravery would not go with out its challenges.  However with supporters like sports American journalists Jemele Hill and Holly Rowe, it would become clear this generation is not only beautiful or savvy, but their activism resulted not only in defeating former Georgia Senator and former co-owner of the Atlanta Dreams.  They partnered with the ‘Say Her Name’ campaign to fight for justice in the aftermath of Breonna Taylor amidst the shift of white supremacy in this country with death threats, getting booed, forced the WNBA and head of the league to rescind fines for wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and fought for a 83% raise with maternity leave.

Living in a country where women were once treated as second class citizens, not allowed to work, vote or even have a point of view, the women of the WNBA had one of the greatest checkmates ever.  Not only did Warnock get elected, but for the first time in our nation’s history a Black woman was named to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Power of the Dream proves with each act, frame, story and hearts worn on sleeves anything is possible from those deemed  the underdog.  Yet, being the underdog has its advantages when the smell of success is as sweet a a fresh new bloom in the Spring.