Episode 127 with Raina Kelley, Innovative, Creative Storyteller and Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Andscape

Episode 127 Notes and Links to Raina Kelley’s Work 

 

    On Episode 127 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Raina Kelley, and the two discuss, among other topics, their shared love of the Oxford Comma, Raina’s single mindedness in reading widely, her circuitous route from studying theater to journalism, cultural criticism, and editorship, the intricacies of keeping a multimedia presence, Andscape’s mission and goals and structure, and political activism in sport. 

 

    Raina Kelley is Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Andscape, formerly The Undefeated, a Black media platform dedicated to creating, highlighting, and uplifting the diverse stories of Black identity. She is also a former deputy editor at ESPN The Magazine.

ESPN Press Room Bio for Raina Kelley

 

Andscape Website

 

Raina on ESPN PRod Pod in March 2022

 

February 2022 Article from New York Times: “ESPN Rebrands Black-Focused Undefeated Site as Andscape”

At about 1:25, Raina talks about her “superpower” of always reading 

 

At about 3:40, Raina discusses One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest as an indicator of grade-level reading 

 

At about 5:00, Raina discusses favorite books

 

At about 6:45, Pete and Raina investigate Castaway and its a passive/proactive protagonist

 

At about 7:45, Raina responds to Pete’s questions about Raina’s writing and reading journey, and Raina gives background on her formidable drama base

 

At about 10:20, Pete and Raina geek out over Anna Deavere Smith’s “magnificent” Twilight: Los Angeles

 

At about 12:30, Raina keeps it cool about her alma mater Yale’s Skull and Bones, and how her career path took shape after college

 

At about 15:20, Raina talks about her “long and winding road” to journalism, and how “storytelling” was always her highest priority

 

At about 16:10, Pete asks Raina to compare and contrast theater writing and journalism 

 

At about 17:50, Raina and Pete reminisce and lament over 2008-2022 in talking about the drastically-different worlds of Obama and Trump

 

At about 20:20, Raina talks about ideas of “authenticity” and inclusion in contemporary society 

 

At about 21:00, Pete uses James Patterson’s recent comments as a springboard to ask Raina questions about her experiences as a Black woman in worlds often heavy on white men’s influence

 

At about 25:50, Raina explains her role at ESPN: The Magazine, including a detailed explanation of what a “deputy editor” does

 

At about 28:00, Raina responds to Pete’s questions about an editor’s balancing act in respecting a writer’s autonomy and voice while performing one’s editing duties

 

At about 31:00, Pete wonders about Raina’s sports fandom/interest

 

At about 33:05, Raina shouts out the Best American anthology and its collections of great sportswriting

 

At about 35:00, Raina is asked about reasons for the rise or perception of the rise of players as activists

 

At about 37:50, Raina talks about multimedia’s rise in line with the decline of physical newspapers and magazines

 

At about 41:25, Raina talks about what drew her to The Undefeated 

 

At about 43:30, Raina discusses the audiences for The Undefeated and Andscape and “fine-tuning” voice and inclusion

 

At about 44:40, Raina talks about a dream collaboration with Hamilton and The Undefeated, under the care of Kelley L. Carter

 

At about 45:40, Raina further discusses Andscape’s name origin and its changing role in 2022

 

At about 47:50, Pete and Raina talk about the idea of the diversity within and among Black points-of-view

 

At about 49:10, Pete highlights three representative articles from the week’s Andscape that show a diversity of thought and subject matter 

 

At about 50:00, Raina discusses future projects for Andscape, including Jason Reid’s book, The Rise of the Black Quarterback, being published through the company’s imprint 

 

At about 51:30, Pete’s son and his jaguar toy make an appearance!

 

At about 52:20, Raina gives contact/social media info

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The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 128 with Vania Patino. Vania is a news reporter for KERO-TV in Bakersfield, CA, a former reporter for KFDA in Amarillo, Texas, and a former standout student in Pete’s English 10 honors class. This is going to be quite a treat for Pete! 

The episode will air on June 21.