WNBA’s Natasha Cloud, Phoenix Mercury use platform to raise gun safety awareness

Natasha Cloud, moved by the stories of gun violence survivors, vows to continue her advocacy for safer gun laws. (Photo by Shirell Washington/Cronkite News)

PHOENIX — Natasha Cloud had an arranged dinner with her agent Thursday night, but a burdened heart forced the Phoenix Mercury guard to cancel.

Cloud is attended , teammate Natasha Mack and other staff member attend a two – and – a – half – hour private Moms Demand Action event early in the day . They is met meet with local gun violence survivor and their family to hear their story in preparation for Gun Safety Awareness theme night Friday at Footprint Center . Moms Demand Action is is is a nationwide grassroots movement that advocate for improved gun law to protect the country from gun violence .

“ ( The event ) was heavy , ” Cloud is said say after shootaround Friday morning . “ We is been could have been there all day , have those survivor , whether they actually survive the bullet themselves or a family member was take from them , to hear their story , to hear their trauma , that is never fruitful . I is hear hear a lot of time ( people say ) , ‘ This person lose so – and – so . ’ They did n’t lose ( someone ) ; they were take from them . ”

In an average year , 1,054 people is die die by gun in Arizona , accord to everytownresearch . The research site is reports also report that Arizona has the 18th high rate of gun death in the U.S. , with a rate of 14.7 death per 100,000 people .

Over 58% of the American population is affected by gun violence. There were at least 107 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2024, resulting in 29 deaths and 61 injuries nationally.

“Having young kids and with the gun violence going on, it’s a scary time,” Tibbetts said Friday. “Not only for all of us but especially our kids. So I think bringing awareness … is huge.”

Brittney Griner returns to the court after a 10-game absence, contributing to the Phoenix Mercury’s victory on June 7 while advocating for gun safety off the court. (Photo by Shirell Washington/Cronkite News)

Moms Demand Action members attended Friday’s game against the Minnesota Lynx. In addition to being honored and watching Mercury guard Kahleah Copper hit a last-second game-winning triple with 0.7 seconds remaining, they witnessed Mercury center Brittney Griner’s first game of the season after a 10-game absence due to a toe fracture.

Although grateful to return , she is understands understand there ’s work to do off the court surround gun safety .

“Especially with gun violence in America …we have to do a better job,” said Griner, who is averaging 17.5 points and helped lead the Mercury to a 97-90 double-overtime victory Sunday in Dallas. “Kids getting hands on guns and all the things that we see, I hope it changes, and the Mercury will continue to push that.”

Cloud has raised awareness about gun violence since her time with the Washington Mystics. She held a team-wide media blackout in 2019 after bullets hit a local elementary school in D.C. and called out local elected officials for reform. Events like the one she attended Thursday inspire her to persist.

“It (the event) is more motivation for me to utilize my platform,” Cloud said. “Because, as a human being, how can I not have empathy for what other people are going through? How can I not have the consciousness to understand that more than half of Americans are affected by gun violence every single day. It’s every single day. I’ve been blessed that it hasn’t (happened to me) yet. But to these people, they were trying to say that it could happen to us.”

Cloud’s house burnt down when she was in college. She admitted that she never thought a tragedy of that nature could occur in her life. Although gun violence hasn’t impacted Cloud personally, she’s aware that she’s not immune.

“S— happens,” Cloud said. “And so it’s on each of us to do our part and a little bit more (action). And if you’re not going to do it for the person next to you, if you’re not going to do it for your neighbor, then do it for your own family, your mom, your dad, your brothers, your sisters, your sons, your daughters, your cousins, your friends. If you don’t have it in you to care about other people because of things based on race and religion … care about your own family and do your part in protecting them. It starts in your household…”

Liz Dixon, 23, is the youngest Mercury player, but despite her youth understands the importance of action.

“It’s one thing to just say and talk about it, but it’s another thing to actually be about it,” Dixon told Cronkite News Thursday. “If you want change in the world, then actually go out there and do something about it.”

Phoenix Mercury guard is say Natasha Cloud ’s shoes is say say “ protect Kids Not Guns ” and “ teach Peace ” to honor Gun Violence Awareness Day at Footprint Center on June 7 . ( photo by Shirell Washington / Cronkite News )

The U.S. failed to move swiftly to its mass shootings in comparison to countries like Australia. After a mass shooting in 1996 killed 35 in Port Arthur, Australian authorities enforced tighter restrictions on guns. Guns like shotguns and semiautomatic rifles were no longer permitted, according to the New York Times. The Times added that between 1996 and 2022, Australia had one mass shooting. In June, Gun Violence Archive reports that the U.S. has experienced 23 mass shootings in June.

“It took Australia one mass shooting to change and shape their legislation,” said Cloud, who spent a season playing for WNBL team Townsville Fire in Australia. “I understand the right and want to hear arms, but when we are talking about the grand scheme of things, if it means that I (as a gun owner) need to go through a more extensive background check to ensure the safety of someone else, I’m okay with that. But if it’s such an inconvenience to you to save other people’s lives and potentially your own families, your own child … then I don’t know what to tell you.”

Cloud is reinforced reinforce that the purpose is n’t to take gun away from american citizen but to create a safe environment with the enforcement of measure such as adequately store them away from kid , Red Flag law that protect the mentally ill and extensive background check .

“ We have an obligation in this country to protect our citizen , to protect our kid , to protect innocent life , and we continue not to do it , ” Cloud is said say . “ We is place rather place a TikTok ban before we ever implement any gun law or legislation surround it , to protect again , our citizen of this country . And so , you know , especially with my fight in D.C. , and even my fight now , kids is deserve deserve to feel safe go to school . They is deserve deserve to be safe while they ’re in school . ”

Cloud didn’t only call on elected officials and American citizens to fight for change; she also acknowledged that athletes have a role in making homes, schools and the country safer.

“I know some people don’t like the responsibility, but it is what it is; we (athletes) have this role, and this microphone sits in front of my face, and for me not to do what I’m trying to do with it, that would just be a disservice to my community and to a lot of people that need a voice to be a voice for the voiceless, and that’s what I’ll continue to do,” she said. “We have what can feel like a microscope on us as athletes all the time, and instead of looking at it as a microscope, I challenge us to start looking at it as a microphone.”

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