The Atlanta Dream, led by a new ownership group and Renee Montgomery, continue to champion the gifts of Black women.
On April 23, the franchise announced its partnership with Black Women Photographers, also naming Allie Jest as the team’s official photographer for the 2022 WNBA season.
“This partnership is truly a dream come true,” Black Women Photographers founder Polly Irungu said. “As someone who has grown up watching the game and has tried many times to break into the world of sports as a career, I know how hard it can be for that door to open. Partnering with the Atlanta Dream organization to hire members of Black Women Photographers throughout the season will not [only] open a door for the photographers selected, but it will open doors across the league and for the next generation of Black women photographers.”
Launched in June 2020, the BWP network includes over 1,000 Black women and non-binary identifying photographers from over 50 countries and over 35 American states. The mission of the organization is to market its members’ work on an active database provided to photo editors, directors, curators and art buyers to increase access to paid opportunities for Black creatives around the world.
“I am so excited about the opportunity to amplify the presence of WNBA players and contribute to their cultural influence,” Jest said, according to a press release. “I want to thank Polly for creating this relationship between BWP and the Atlanta Dream. This industry is so hard to break into and she continues to open doors for Black women photographers.”
Since becoming a part of the ownership group that took over the Dream from former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler in February 2021, Renee Montgomery played has played a pivotal part in getting the team an all-Black women broadcast team in 2021 among other initiatives. A former player and WNBA champion, Montgomery sat out the 2020 season to focus on social justice. A few months after the season, she became the first former player to become part of a team ownership group in WNBA history.
The Dream struggled in 2021 on the court with an 8-24 record, and off-the-court drama with former players like Chennedy Carter and Courtney Williams, but the future looks bright after landing No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard and AP first-team All-American Naz Hillmon.
