A’ja Wilson encourages and inspires students at Disney Dreamers Academy

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — As WNBA star A’ja Wilson stood on stage last week speaking to 100 high school students participating in the Disney Dreamers Academy, her words evoked audible oohs and ahhs from the crowd at the Walt Disney World Resort.

The annual Disney Dreamers Academy is a multiday, all-expenses-paid event that brings together high-achieving high school students from across the country. The program is designed to expose students to different career paths and allow them to develop workplace skills, network with like-minded peers and ultimately inspire them to chase their goals.

“I was a different dreamer,” said Wilson, who served as a mentor for this year’s academy participants. “My dream wasn’t to be a WNBA player at a young age. I didn’t really dream that. I felt like that wasn’t my goal. I felt like that wasn’t my calling. The beautiful thing about dreaming is that it’s limitless.”

During the program, students are encouraged to “Be 100,” a callback to the size of the participating class that emphasizes fostering, meeting and maximizing the opportunities in front of them. During the weekend, the students have the opportunity to interact with industry professionals in a variety of fields, participate in career workshops and even meet their idols.

As Disney Dreamers Academy participants Shakayah Watson and Domenique Sexton made their way over to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure inside Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park, they could sense some kind of surprise was afoot.

“We’re gonna meet A’ja Wilson! We’re gonna meet A’ja Wilson!” Watson said to the cohort.

Watson, a junior who plays for the Shiloh High School girls’ basketball team in Snellville, Georgia, had long idolized the Las Vegas Aces player — not just on the court but as an entrepreneur. Watson already runs her own baking business, with hopes of expanding the operation in the future.

As the high schoolers saw and approached Wilson, who was donning a set of Mickey Mouse ears, gasps and yelps emanated from the group.

Sexton, a sophomore at Grassfield High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, said seeing a Black woman such as Wilson, who has reached the top of multiple fields, allows her to believe her own goals and dreams are attainable.

“Everybody has that opportunity. You just have to be willing to put in the work,” said Sexton, who aspires to be a sports broadcaster. “Being able to look up to her and see her success, it just really makes me want to pave my own path.”

For Watson, who stands just a few inches shorter than the 6-foot-4 Wilson, words of encouragement shared by the two-time Olympic gold medalist were inspiring.

“[A’ja] was just telling me, as another tall girl, to continue to keep going and don’t let anybody discourage you or talk down on you, and just continue to pursue your dreams,” Watson said.

Wilson aimed to be a resource for academy participants, understanding the role that mentorship has played in her own journey. She recalled one of her first mentors in basketball being WNBA legend Sylvia Fowles, who took Wilson under her wing.

“We were never teammates until the Olympics later on in my career, so it was truly special for her to reach out and to kind of just be like, ‘I want to help you in any type of way.’ … I think that’s kind of what helped me want to do the same,” Wilson said.

Wilson’s appearance came just days after the WNBA’s board of governors ratified a new and historic collective bargaining agreement that will substantially raise pay for WNBA players. Top players such as Wilson are set to sign the first million-dollar contracts in WNBA history.

Wilson said her ability to stand in front of the students as a prospective million-dollar athlete showed attendees what is possible. Still, she hopes this is just the beginning for women’s pro sports.

“I still want more. I’m still going to continue to make sure that I can show up and show reasons why we deserve more. But, yes, this is a great stepping stone for us,” Wilson said. “This is something that is transformative for our league. And I love when you get a group of women together, and we stand on business. I think that’s truly powerful.”

Wilson continued:

“So, yes, this moment is huge, but I hope that we can continue to change so when this next young group of women or next group of people want to become pro athletes in our field, that they’re not dealing with the same things we’ve had to deal with. So if we can leave the game better than the way that it was when we first walked in, that’s what’s truly powerful.”

Actor and comedian Rickey Smiley, who has been involved with the Disney Dreamers Academy for several years, also made an appearance during the event. Actress Malia Baker, who has starred in Disney’s Descendants franchise, was named this year’s academy “Dreambassador.”

Baker, 19, said inspiration — in all of its forms — was the goal of the weekend.

“It’s not only being inspired by others but hopefully instilling inspiration in others — especially this community. These are not only people that I admire, they’re also my peers,” Baker said. “I feel honored to be amongst them.”

Reflecting on her experience with the Disney Dreamers Academy, Watson said she’ll return to her home state of Georgia with an invigorated confidence and a deepened sense of belonging.

“Being in this program, being a Disney Dreamer, it’s definitely showed me that I am meant to be here, and I am here for a reason. It showed me even more to just be more optimistic and to be my biggest cheerleader at times,” Watson said. “Why not be your biggest advocate, be optimistic, and see where things continue to lead instead of being pessimistic? That’s all there is to it.”

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