Indiana Fever forward and former Notre Dame captain Natalie Achonwa has won this year’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award. The award, of which Achonwa was announced as the winner Friday, goes to a player who has shown great community leadership. Achonwa continued to show leadership in the statement she released after the announcement:
“It is important for me to optimize the benefits and privileges I receive from being a professional athlete. A big piece of that is using the platform I’m awarded to connect with people, promote a level playing field, and inspire others to make positive change.
Through the ups and downs of my own personal journey, I have found that it is the little things that make the biggest difference. If we all focus on challenging the status quo of our own circles, and build from there, we can tackle the world and keep moving forward.”
On the Fever’s Twitter account, Irish coaches past and present were only too pleased to have the opportunity to congratulate their friend:
And @MuffetMcGraw 🙌
Nobody is more deserving than you, @NatAchon. Congratulations! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/T25TN4aQja
— Indiana Fever ⛹️♀️🏀 (@IndianaFever) July 24, 2020
Achonowa spoke at Indianapolis Public Schools during March to talk about mental health and ending the stigma. In 2019, she won the WNBA Community Assist Award for raising awareness of similar issues. For her latest award, the WNBA will make a $10,000 donation in her name to the Madame Walker Legacy Center.