Tina Charles Honored Again with WNBA’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award
Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles has been awarded the 2025 Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award, recognizing her outstanding dedication to community service, social justice, and positive change off the court. This marks the second time Charles has received this honor—the first was in 2012—and her foundation, Hopey’s Heart, will receive a $10,000 donation from the league. Among her many contributions, Charles has ensured the installation of 500 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) through her nonprofit and has supported global and local efforts aimed at uplifting vulnerable communities.
A Legacy of Care Beyond the Stat Sheet
At 36, Tina Charles has cemented her place among the WNBA’s greatest not just by her numbers, but by her actions. Through Hopey’s Heart Foundation—named in honor of her late aunt Maureen “Hopey” Vaz—she has waged a lifelong campaign to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest, ensuring communities from schoolyards to public spaces have access to life-saving AEDs. This year marks a major milestone: the 500th AED placed in a facility.
More Than Just Titles: Impact & Influence
Charles’s impact extends far beyond her foundational work. She has funded the construction of a school in Mali and organized health and safety clinics in New York, among other projects. Her leadership is rooted in service. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert highlighted that Charles embodies the ideals of the Dawn Staley Award: advocacy, character, and community engagement. It isn’t just about giving—it’s about inspiring others to act.
A Full-Circle Moment
Winning the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award in 2025 carries special weight, as it recalls Charles’s earlier recognition in 2012. Now, as a veteran player, her platform is larger and her influence broader. The $10,000 donation attached to the award for Hopey’s Heart will further fuel the foundation’s goals.
What Drives Her Mission
Charles often speaks about how her mother taught her the importance of serving others from an early age. That value shows up in everything she does—advocacy on heart health, racial justice, public awareness, and accessible healthcare. Hopey’s Heart is family-run and deeply personal, yet it has saved countless lives by placing AEDs, educating the public, and being a reliable presence in health emergencies.
Ongoing Ripples of a Life Well Lived
From the court to global outreach, Charles is building a legacy that resonates across generations. Each AED installed is a structure of safety; each educational clinic is a seed planted in awareness. Her example challenges what it means to be an athlete in today’s world—not just about points or rebounds, but about how you elevate the game beyond it.
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