The Atlanta Dream embodies so much of what Clio Sports is about, transcending the game to show the economic, social, and cultural impact athletes and athletics have on people worldwide.
Since its founding in 2008, the Atlanta Dream have embodied Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Dream” of a more equitable America by leading change on an array of civil rights and social justice issues. During the summer of 2020, in the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Jacob Blake, the Dream players – along with their WNBA peers – spoke truth to power and shined a light on racial justice and voter suppression. The women of the Dream put their careers at risk by taking the unprecedented action of endorsing their then owner’s opponent – Reverend Raphael Warnock – for the U.S. Senate. That endorsement helped elect the first Black Senator from Georgia and flip the Senate, changing the course of history in America.
The Clio Sports Impact Award will be accepted by the WNBA Atlanta Dream player and longest standing member of the Atlanta team, Elizabeth Williams. On August 26, 2020, in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting, Williams was chosen by the team to respond on national television to explain the decision to cancel that night’s games. She said, “...while we hurt for Jacob and his community, we also have an opportunity to keep the focus on the issues and demand change.”
“We encourage everyone to go and register to vote. Now. Today. If you truly believe black lives matter, then vote. Go and complete the 2020 census now...Don’t wait. If we wait, we don’t make change. It matters. Your voice matters. Your vote matters. Do all you can to demand that your leaders stop with the empty words and do something.”
Elizabeth Williams and the Dream’s fight to drive social change has encouraged others to follow that same path and make a difference by taking action.
Follow Us