Stephen A. Smith rarely struggles for words. One of the most recognizable voices in sports media, he has built a career on passionate opinions and unfiltered commentary. But when ESPN parted ways with Ryan Clark, Smith’s reaction was strikingly simple. “It hurts. It really does,” Smith said. Smith called Clark “arguably the best NFL analyst in America“ and said he opposed ESPN’s decision. At the same time, he acknowledged that layoffs have become an unavoidable reality across the television industry. “The bosses know I’m not happy about this decision,” Smith said. “But it’s also important that myself and anybody else in the world…
Author: Stephen Oduntan
More than six decades after risking her life in the fight for voting rights, 81-year-old Leatha Davis still remembers the sound of billy clubs striking peaceful demonstrators, the screams of marchers under attack, and the sacrifices that defined the Civil Rights Movement. Today, as recent Supreme Court decisions have narrowed key protections under the Voting Rights Act and battles over congressional redistricting continue, Davis believes the struggle she joined as a teenager is far from over. But she worries the greatest threat is not only the legal battles over voting rights—it is also the growing number of people who choose not to exercise them.…