Cloud shares her love for the new Mystics city jerseys originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The highlight of the WNBA's jersey drop on Thursday was each team's 'Rebel Edition' city jersey. That was no different for the Washington Mystics and their new threads.
One of the biggest fans of the city jersey was Natasha Cloud. For those familiar with Cloud and her tenure with the Mystics, it should be no surprise that her favorite jersey is one that echos equality for all. Washington's Rebel Edition jersey signifies and represents the social change throughout the history of the team and the city with several special features.
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"I'm a fan of our city jersey more than anything because there's so much meaning behind it," Cloud told NBC4's Shawn Yancy. "There's so much history, there's so much power within our city edition jerseys. That, hands-down, is my favorite."
For more on the Mystics new jerseys, visit MysticsRise.com
Along with several additional details, the most prominent is the 19th Amendment to the Constitution stitched into the jersey in a pattern around the front and the back. That amendment gave women -- and as Cloud points out, at the time only white women -- the right to vote.
A year ago Cloud decided to not play the 2020 season to focus her efforts on social justice efforts in the wake of George Floyd's death and the protests that followed. In sitting out, she did not receive her WNBA salary, but did get a shoe deal with Converse.
But her social justice history is not confined to that lone season. Ever since joining the Mystics, Cloud has used her platform to raise awareness on issues in D.C. and beyond. Equality always being the focus of her advocacy.
By wearing these jerseys, Cloud says it shows that the team will continue to push forward for equity across the board.
"We are on this initiative of that we shall not be denied and that holds true even today in 2021 of us pushing to push the needle forward to a more equitable country. That holds truth," Cloud said.
Additionally, the equity of simply having a speciality jersey was one not afforded to WNBA teams until this year. It was something only unique to the NBA.
"The men (NBA) have had this for years on years on years. So we're finally being given that same equity with our uniforms," Cloud said.
One of the guard's most cherished elements of the jersey is the beige outline weaved in a pattern throughout the jersey. Within the line is the text of the 19th Amendment. The layout of it is even more symbolic.
"People are like, 'what's that funky design on the shirt?' and it's actually when there are marches in D.C., that's the route you would take for those marches," Cloud said.
Most importantly for the Mystics, this jersey represents the activism that the team embodies. From Cloud's individual efforts, to the team leading the movement to cancel two days worth of games in 2020, to wearing shirts that spelled out Jacob Blake's name, to forfeiting a possession each game to insert a voting PSA, the Washington Mystics have always not been afraid to step forward.
These jerseys allow them to be unique.
"This is who we are. This is our identity. We're taking this our commitment to our community and to a lot people that look like us to continue using our platforms to be a part of the solution," Cloud said.
