S1E3: Steve Zakuani

After a few weeks of wining and dining, you may think that the Voyagers Podcast is just about hedonistic indulgence… reveling in the pleasures of this beautiful place called Earth. And to an extent, those ideas were the inspiration to begin this podcast. But when a person sets out to talk to his friends and listen to their stories and works to frame those stories for the benefit an audience, they will eventually run into an issue around authenticity.

In other words, you can’t just talk about the pretty stuff. Not if you want to be real.

My twin brother Seth has a good friend named Steve Zakuani. Steve’s life is a fascinating story. He was born in the Congo, grew up in Tottenham, England and attended university in the United States. He was then selected as the top pick in the 2009 Major League Soccer SuperDraft by the Seattle Sounders. But only a few short years later, his career was ended by a vicious slide tackle. And that could have been all. Steve could have drifted into the ether.

But what has he done in the void of his post-superstar life?

He’s written two books, produced a documentary, spoken to audiences all over the country, blogged about racial justice for Major League Soccer (and all things soccer) and works as a broadcast analyst for the Seattle Sounders. And that’s just the beginning.

Steve’s is on a mission is to expose a system that is built to benefit just a few while leaving people of color at a disadvantage. In our time together, he opened my eyes and ears to a different way of thinking about racism and the world around me. I hope you’ll open your heart when you open your ears to what Steve has to say.

-DGT