Charisma Osborne, the leading scorer for the UCLA women's basketball team and a top prospect for this year's WNBA Draft, is also a young adult who used to worry about what others would think about her social media posts.
Then May 25, 2020, happened.
The killing of George Floyd sparked a wave of social justice conversations across the country, including among UCLA's women's basketball team when Osborne and three other teammates -- Michaela Onyenwere, Lauryn Miller and Camryn Brown -- decided it was time to pivot.
"We were tired of just seeing names and posts on social media and the conversation stopping two weeks later when it's no longer popular," Osborne said.
"Our voice is important. We're more than just athletes."
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) January 14, 2023
Charisma Osborne shares how she and her teammates are highlighting Black culture.@UCLAWBB | @CharismaOsborne pic.twitter.com/jsB5c1NPoM
From that a movement was born. More Than a DREAM -- which stands for Diversify, Reveal, Educate, Advocate and Motivate -- was originally meant to highlight notable Black alumni from UCLA as part of Bruin Table Talk.
"We started the initiative to continue those conversations about the things that have been happening to Black people and just highlighting some of the things that Black people have done because you don't really see it often. I learned so much that I didn't even know."
The players did their own ring light setups in their rooms and conducted interviews through Zoom. Guests have included Christine Simmons, Baron Davis and Earl Watson, and Gabrielle Union and Cari Champion. Osborne said she screamed with delight after Union responded to her tweet inviting the actress to come on the show.
The project created an additional degree of camaraderie for the players, but it also became a valuable learning experience that gave them perspective on success and inclusivity.
"There is room for everybody at the table," Osborne said. "I think that just stuck with me so much because I feel like there are so many times, not even just with race, but there is so much competition trying to be the 'it' girl or the 'it' person when there is space for everyone to thrive and succeed."
Last summer, Osborne went on a trip to Alabama with the Pac-12 for an educational trip focused on social justice. Selected members from the conference participated in a variety of activities highlighted by a march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge -- the site of the 1965 "Bloody Sunday" attacks. Osborne said the experience was very impactful and that it was helpful to learn things that are not always taught in detail at school.
"I didn't realize they had walked for days to get to the bridge. Miles and miles a day, sleeping on the highway," she said. "Obviously, right now that sounds crazy to be marching on a highway and be sleeping outside for days, but to see that they went through that so that people like me could be where I am today, that's absolutely amazing and inspiring. I'm extremely grateful to have learned about that."
Osborne said that learning about the bravery and sacrifices of others has molded her into someone who is not afraid to speak out about what is most important to her.
"What I admire most about Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy is his bravery. It takes a lot to be able to lead a country, lead people against everything that you've been taught your whole entire life. And I think that's just so encouraging. If he can do that, then anyone can do anything," she said.
"I think it's just absolutely amazing and it inspires me to be able to use my voice because if he didn't use his voice and without his leadership, I would not be sitting here today."
There haven't been any new episodes of More Than a DREAM recently, but the athletes have done other things to continue having conversations dedicated to social issues and raising cultural awareness.
After Christmas, Osborne said her group did a presentation on Kwanzaa and Hanukkah because they wanted to shine a spotlight on holidays that they feel don't receive enough attention. Osborne also hinted that there might be more content coming during Black History Month.
Obviously, no one knows how the rest of the season or the WNBA Draft is going to play out, but Osborne said basketball will always be part of her identity. At the same time, Osborne is more than an athlete. And the last few years have reminded her about keeping things in perspective.
"Know yourself, know your worth and never settle for anything less than what you deserve," she said. "The world is hard sometimes. Some people can be really mean, but just remember who you are."
