DC Power Plays & Conversations Recap

What happens when a room full of women who coach, compete, and lead come together — not just to talk, but to tell the truth? On May 29, 2025, Power Plays & Conversations offered an answer: you get a night filled with courage, joy, clarity, and collective momentum.

Hosted at Hotel Zena in Washington, DC, the event brought together coaches, athletes, and community leaders to elevate the voices of women in sport, explore what equity looks like in action, and spark deeper connections among those working to create more inclusive, empowering spaces for girls and women in athletics. Co-presented by Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s District of Play and Positive Coaching Alliance, it was a celebration of women in sport — especially women of color — who are not only breaking barriers but reshaping the future of the game.

Moderated by Daycia McClam, the panel featured four dynamic women who shared honest, layered stories about leadership, legacy, and the work still ahead:

• Meleana Shim, former NWSL player and lawyer
• Brittany Wagner, Interim Chief Athletic Director of Competitive & Leisure Activities at DC Parks & Recreation
• Lois Cook, wide receiver for the DC Divas and football culture shifter
• Jamila Wideman, General Manager of the Washington Mystics

Meleana spoke with striking vulnerability about coming out in sport and navigating a mental health diagnosis without consistent institutional support. What sustained her, she shared, was a strong personal community and the inner resilience to lead herself forward. Her presence reminded everyone that authenticity is power.

Brittany offered a story of transformation — one that began with a track coach who challenged her to break through mental barriers and reach her full potential. That moment of belief continues to inform the way she leads today, creating space for young athletes across the city to feel seen, stretched, and supported.

Lois radiated joy as she spoke about the current momentum in women’s sports and what it means for girls watching today. Her energy reflected not just hope, but a deep belief in what’s possible when representation is real and sustained.

And Jamila grounded the entire conversation in community. She shared how the Mystics are building not just a team, but an institution — one rooted in listening to players, centering marginalized voices, and staying accountable to the communities they serve.

“We have to listen first. Our job is to be responsive — to build something that lasts because it reflects what our community actually needs.” — Jamila Wideman

The event was more than a panel. It was a reminder of what’s possible when women lead — with honesty, with joy, and with a shared commitment to building something better for the next generation.

This conversation is just one piece of a larger effort. Through ongoing coach workshops in DC schools, we’re creating space for equity to take root from the sidelines to the systems. And soon, we’ll be expanding this work more deeply into the DC community — with expectation, and with purpose.