In 2019, Natasha Cloud proved herself to be a force on the court for the Washington Mystics as she was one of its integral pieces that led to Washington claiming its first-ever WNBA championship in 2019.
In 2020, Cloud’s impact went far beyond the realm of basketball. As recognition for her efforts outside of the game, Outsports, SB Nation’s LGBTQ-centric site, announced that she was its 2020 Female Hero of the Year.
In a year full of athlete activism, Natasha Cloud led the way. @T_Cloud4 is the Outsports Female Hero of the Year! https://t.co/k55b350kFE
— Outsports (@outsports) December 29, 2020
Another honor for @WashMystics @T_Cloud4 — @outsports Female Hero of the Year. True that on her advocacy on gun violence prevention and her fantastic work on shining the bright light on so many worthy causes. https://t.co/esu8Y0dqOZ
— Ted Leonsis (@TedLeonsis) December 29, 2020
Thank you Ted! Makes my job a lot easier when you have a family and organization that supports you🙏🏽🖤
— Natasha Cloud (@T_Cloud4) December 29, 2020
Cloud was one of several Mystics that did not head to the suburban Tampa bubble for the 2020 season. Instead, she advanced the conversation of social justice, a focal point of the summer of 2020 after the police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville.
She was also one of several who fought to have the Mystics’ home court at the DC Entertainment and Sports Arena converted into a polling place for the 2020 election for Ward 8, considered to be a poorer area of within the Washington city limits (and where there is a higher concentration of the District of Columbia’s Black populace).
How do we get #ESA to be a central location for wards 7 & 8? Voter suppression and long lines within this community could be the difference. @WashMystics @WashWizards @TheEventsDC @MSE
— Natasha Cloud (@T_Cloud4) September 23, 2020
Her efforts played a role in the arena eventually being converted into a polling “supercenter” for the election – one where Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won 93% of D.C.’s vote.
