Voice Matters: Finding Courage to Speak Up in Rooms That Feel Too Big - Newsletter #43

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There are moments when you walk into a room and feel the weight of its history pressing on your shoulders. Maybe it’s the boardroom with its polished table and sharper edges. Maybe it’s the stage with lights so bright they make you wonder if your voice will catch in your throat. Or maybe it’s the team meeting where everyone else seems to have more letters after their name or louder opinions to fill the air.

I’ve been there - on stages, in studios, in conference rooms - spaces that felt too big for me. And yet, time and again, I’ve learned this truth: voice matters. Your voice matters.

The First Breath Is the Hardest

As a playwright, I remember the first time I sat in the back of a theater while actors performed words I had written. My adaptation of The Yellow Wallpaper was being staged, and I kept holding my breath. Would the audience lean in? Would they care? It felt terrifying to release something so personal into the world. But then I watched as the actors’ voices carried my words farther than I ever could alone. My words weren’t just mine anymore, they belonged to everyone in the room. That’s the power of voice. It begins with one person’s courage to breathe, to speak, to risk.

As a speaker at tech conferences, I’ve felt the same nerves. You’d think after years of doing this, it would get easier. But the truth is: it’s still vulnerable. Every keynote, every panel, every session is another moment of choosing to show up. To take the mic, not because I have the loudest voice, but because I believe the message matters.

Voice as Leadership

Voice is more than sound. It is presence. It is choice. It is an act of leadership. Leadership is not always about titles or seats at the table. Sometimes it’s about being the one willing to raise your hand, ask the hard question, or name what no one else has dared to say.

I think often of women and allies throughout history whose voices shifted entire movements. Vera Menchik in chess. Zitkála-Šá in Indigenous rights. Audre Lorde in poetry and writing. Their voices, or the echo of them, reshaped the world.

So when we talk about “voice,” we’re not just talking about speaking. We’re talking about choosing courage over silence. We’re talking about leading even when the room feels too big, too male, too white, too rigid.

The Rooms We Enter

When I step into rooms at Microsoft, Comic-Con, or TechCon, I remind myself that the room is not mine to shrink in. It is mine to expand. Not with ego, but with energy. With joy. With the kind of presence that makes space for others to feel like they belong too.

And sometimes it’s not about the keynote stage. Sometimes it’s about speaking up in the smaller, quieter rooms:

• The meeting where a new idea could easily be dismissed.
• The brainstorm where the same voices dominate.
• The hallway chat where someone makes a comment that doesn’t sit right.

Your voice in those rooms matters just as much—maybe even more—because it sets the tone for culture. It shows people what leadership looks like in action.

Finding Your Voice

If you’ve ever wondered, Who am I to speak up?—you’re not alone. Here are three practices that help me find and use my voice:

1. Breathe first. Courage often starts with a single breath. Give yourself that moment to ground before you speak.
2. Anchor in purpose. When I know why my voice matters, whether it’s to tell a story, ask a question, or advocate for someone else, the fear gets smaller.
3. Practice out loud. As a voice actor, I’ve learned that practice changes everything. Say the words in the mirror. Try them in a smaller room. By the time you’re on the stage, or in the meeting, you’ll have already heard your own courage.

Your Voice Belongs Here

Here’s what I want you to know: rooms may feel too big, but your voice is never too small. Speaking up is an act of belonging - for yourself and for others. Every time you use your voice with honesty, courage, and care, you widen the circle for someone else.

So, the next time you’re in a space that feels intimidating, remember: the mic is not just for the loudest. It’s for the ones brave enough to speak. And your voice? It matters.

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