Finding Your Voice

By Da’Vontae Randolph | Blog Editor and Community Commentator

For some people, being a leader comes naturally. Commanding a room, speaking with conviction, and giving opinions are all traits they possess. For others, like myself, it’s quite the opposite. It’s easier to nod and agree—to listen to a plan or idea and simply motion it forward without giving our thoughts, our opinions, or our voice. That was how I presented myself for years; it was how I lived my everyday life. But once I played my first LRG, something awoke inside of me. And that’s when I decided to take back my voice.

You see, these games aren’t as surface-level as they seem. You walk in expecting to play a game, win or lose, but you don’t expect to live an experience that may fundamentally change you. And that’s exactly what happened to me. What started out as a game of "don’t get voted out" turned into a realization of inner belief. To make it to the end, and to really stand a chance of winning, I had to believe in myself—not just in my thoughts and motives, but in being authentically me.

And so, I started speaking up around camp. I started making plans, speaking in gatherings, and allowing my tribe mates in. I showed them who I am, unapologetically, without any limitations, guards, or concern. To be succinct: it was absolutely freeing. It felt like, for the first time in my life, I had arrived. And naturally, it helped me advance far into the game.

But I wasn’t going to let it stop there at the end of Day 3. I was going to carry this newfound confidence into my everyday life and interactions. It felt important to me to walk away with more than just new friends and a new community, but also with a new and improved version of myself—one I didn’t know I needed and may have never discovered alone.

It’s been years since I played that first game, and I’m still thankful for what it gave me. I now have the confidence to speak up about injustices, representation (or lack thereof), or whenever anyone is unable to speak up for themselves. I give my thoughts and my opinions, and I consciously know that I am equal. The days of being a "head nod" in agreement are long gone.

Truly, that’s just one of the ways in which LRGs have helped transform me. There’s always a lesson to be learned and a story to be told. I found my voice, and it’s with that very same voice that I now get to share my love for these games and this community with the world. For that, I’m forever grateful.