What does it mean to be courageous?

We’ve certainly had to summon courage during 2020, even if we may not label ourselves as courageous.

In the final episode of season 9, Ian Urbina, founder of The Outlaw Ocean Project, describes courage from the perspective of the stories he has travelled the world to tell. These stories document lawlessness at sea, and The Outlaw Ocean Project, a nonprofit journalism outlet, is finding innovative ways to share them.

Even though Ian doesn’t describe his story as one of courage, he certainly has a great story to tell, from his career as an investigative reporter with The New York Times to more recent endeavors, like the Outlaw Ocean Music Project.

I can’t think of a better way to end this season than with Ian’s thoughtful perspectives on gaining trust and sharing stories purposefully. Maybe we will even learn a little more about what it means to be courageous and how we can better appreciate the courage of others.

Check it out:

Caroline Odom is a junior majoring in journalism at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. She is also majoring in risk management and insurance with a certificate in personal and organizational leadership at UGA’s Terry College of Business.