Radio Diaries

Teen Contender: Then & Now

In 2012, Claressa Shields was a 16-year-old boxer in Flint, Michigan. She had an audacious dream: to be the Muhammad Ali of womens boxing. We gave her tape recorder to keep an audio diary as she fought to make it onto the first ever women’s Olympic boxing team.
Claressa is now 25 and fights professionally. With two gold medals and four world championships, she’s achieved her boxing dreams. But with boxing shut down during COVID, she has turned her attention to a different kind of dream. She bought a house. Today on the podcast, we hear Claressa’s original audio diary and bring you an update. 
Teen Contender won a <a href="http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/teen-contender-an-audio-diary-of-one-girls-fight-inside-and-outside-the-rin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Peabody Award">Peabody Award</a> in 2012. The follow up story aired on This American Life as part of their 25th anniversary special.

First-person diaries, sound portraits, and hidden chapters of history from Peabody Award-winning producer Joe Richman and the Radio Diaries team. From teenagers to octogenarians, prisoners to prison guards, bra saleswomen to lighthouse keepers. The extraordinary stories of ordinary life. Radio Diaries is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. Learn more at radiotopia.fm