We all have a voice, and they matter

If there is anyone that understands the value of having diverse voices, it’s The Undefeated Managing Editor Raina Kelley. A former aspiring playwright, Kelley’s duties now include finding fresh voices to tell unique stories on race and sports for ESPN’s newly launched website. This summer, all 12 of us from the SJI Class of 2016 will ship off to different publications across the country. Some of us will be at digital publications. Others will hone their print craft at newspapers. All of us will be looking to find our own voice. Kelley believes that, for us, there will be nothing more important than finding our own distinct voices. “A lot of people think voice is about I,” Kelley said. “Voice is about how you put words together.” As young aspiring sports journalists, we need to remember our voices matter. They’re what separate us from each other, and other writers. It’s what allows us to tell important stories about different people in unique narratives. Finding voice is a lifelong process. But like Kelley reminded us, every voice matters. We have the power to shape sports coverage with our words, and it’s crucial that each and every one of us gets heard. -- Hayden Kim