The WNBA announced on Wednesday morning that Connecticut Sun forward Tina Charles had been named the 2025 recipient of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award.
This award highlights a current WNBA player who best represents what it means to be a leader in the community. The eight-time All-Star receives the Dawn Staley Award for the second time in her career, having previously earned this recognition in 2012.
“In every aspect of her game and character, Tina stands as a representation of the ideals and spirit of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert in the press release.
“Throughout her remarkable career, Tina has consistently used her platform to raise awareness and drive meaningful change. Her dedication to service, advocacy, and giving back to the community reflects the values that define our league. Tina continues to build a legacy that will inspire generations to come.”
Hopey’s Heart Foundation is a family-run foundation founded by Charles in 2013, named after her late aunt, Maureen “Hopey” Vaz, with a goal to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and provide Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to organizations in need.
This year, Charles’ foundation will place its 500th AED, a monumental milestone that was supported by Yale New Haven Health’s pledge of $20,000 to support AED distribution.
Charles has a long-standing history of being an advocate for racial and social justice and using her platform to lift community voices and promote for systemic change. Her previous selection for this award stemmed from her work and financial support to open construction on a school in Ganali, a village in Mali.
“Tina Charles exemplifies what it means to be a leader both on and off the court,” Dawn Staley said in the press release. “We are thrilled to recognize her tireless efforts beyond the game over the course of her career, creating a profound and permanent impact within the entire sports community.”
Charles also tied-in her on-court performances to her work community efforts off the court and helped get fans involved along the way. Through Charles’ Rebound Charity Challenge, fans can donate to Hopey’s based on number of rebounds the former MVP grabs.
“Through my mother at a young age, I learned the importance of being a servant unto others, and receiving the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award is truly special for me — especially for Hopey’s Heart Foundation to receive this honor through its work in raising awareness for sudden cardiac arrest,” Charles said in the press release.
“I started the foundation in April of 2013 and never thought its impact would cast as wide as it has. I’m thankful to everyone who has supported the foundation along the way. Thank you.”
A designated committee selected Charles as the winner of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award. The WNBA will make a $10,000 donation to Charles’ charitable foundation, Hopey’s Heart Foundation.
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