Today on Train of Thought, we amplify the voice of a young woman who refuses to be silenced. In “Starr Carter: Finding Her Voice,” we step inside the heart and mind of the unforgettable protagonist from Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give. What begins as personal grief becomes a powerful call for justice, as Starr transforms from a girl caught between two worlds into a force unafraid to speak her truth—loud, raw, and unapologetic.
Through a moving first-person monologue, this episode traces Starr’s journey from quiet code-switching at her predominantly white prep school to courageous activism in the wake of her friend Khalil’s fatal shooting by police. Her story is not one of easy transformation—it’s one of fear, conflict, love, and resilience. We hear the pain of loss, the weight of expectation, and the fire that burns when silence is no longer an option.
This episode is about more than one tragedy. It’s about what it means to grow up Black in America, to live in the tension between identity and safety, between community and survival. Starr’s voice—clear, questioning, and full of conviction—echoes with the strength of generations before her and the urgency of those yet to come.
Whether you’ve read the novel, seen the film, or are hearing Starr’s voice for the first time, this episode is a reminder that storytelling is resistance—and that the voices of young people, especially young Black women, are not only valid but vital.
Tune in for an episode that doesn’t flinch, doesn’t compromise, and doesn’t let go. Because, as Starr reminds us, once you find your voice, you don’t go back.
This week, Train of Thought is the space where stories rise from the margins—and ride to the front.
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