Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up

by Kathy Khang

You have a voice. And you have God's permission to use it.

In some communities, certain voices are amplified and elevated while others are erased and suppressed. It can be hard to speak up, especially in the ugliness of social media. Power dynamics keep us silent and marginalized, especially when race, ethnicity, and gender are factors. What can we do about it?

Activist Kathy Khang roots our voice and identity in the image of God. Because God created us in our ethnicity and gender, our voice is uniquely expressed through the totality of who we are. We are created to speak, and we can both speak up for ourselves and speak out on behalf of others. Khang offers insights from faithful heroes who raised their voices for the sake of God's justice, and she shows how we can do the same today, in person, in social media, in organizations, and in the public square.

Be silent no more. If you have wondered when and how to speak, hear God's invitation to you to find and steward your authentic voice, whether in word or deed, to communicate the good news in a messed-up world. As you discern God's voice calling you to speak, you will discover how your voice sounds as you express God's heart to others. And the world will hear you loud and clear.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Social Justice, Faith, Christianity, Self Help, Theology

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 2018

About the author

Kathy Khang is a writer, speaker, and yoga teacher.

Kathy is one of the authors of More Than Serving Tea (InterVarsity Press, 2006) and blogs at www.kathykhang.com , tweets @mskathykhang, posts at www.facebook.com/kathykhangauthor, and partners with other bloggers, pastors, and Christian leaders to highlight and move the conversation forward on issues of race, ethnicity, and gender within the Church. She brings 21 years of ministry experience to her writing and speaking.

When she’s not staring at a screen she often is doing her nails, practicing yoga, or searching for the perfect pen and journal.

Reviews

[Heather Caliri · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I fell in love with writing, one of the very first reactions I got was from a family member--asking me never to write about our family again. Speaking up, telling your story, and owning your voice is a fraught proposition, especially for women, who are often trained to keep quiet and polite and ignore our voices. Kathy Khang's challenging, gracious read helps each reader to notice the forces silencing them, and slowly, gently, and boldly begin speaking up.
I found the second section especially practical. In it, Khang describes -how- we might use our voices in our relationships, institutions, and on social media. After reading, I was convicted to change some settings and deal with pushback graciously.
I would have loved to see more of Khang's incisive wit in this book, but honestly, I probably benefited from the serious tone she struck, since she conveyed her own struggles with speaking up, her own questions and bewilderment powerfully. Hearing that helped me both forgive myself my awkward silences and also vow to do better. A helpful read for any Christian bewildered by the difficulties we face as a Church to discuss polities, race, and power in productive ways.

[Mary Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible!! Such a perfect book for the times we’re in. As a white, female Christian who has been struggling with the church and Christians in this political climate, this was like a breath of fresh air. Kathy Khang breaks your heart while giving insight into a world I can’t and won’t ever understand, but then she ends the book with encouragement and loving ways to use our voices for good. I love all the ways she opened my eyes to a new way of seeing Esther, Nathan, Moses, and the Hebrew midwives. I then loved the turn of showing different ways we can find our voice and how to use it to start change. This book is a must read for everyone, no matter your political leanings or race or theology viewpoints. Love it!!!

[Michele Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several years ago, with one tentative toe dipping into middle age, I read life-changing words from the pen of Ruth Bell Graham, who confided she was finally learning that she did not need to weight in on every topic OR to speak up at every opportunity. This seemed reasonable to me at the time, a wise grid through which to steward my words, and I have consciously applied the rubric to social situations. (I’m sure the practice has been a blessing to both family and friends.)

However, recently, I’ve noticed some regret creeping in around the edges of my restraint. While I’m still an advocate for verbal discretion, I can think of at least two memorial services as well a couple of other gatherings where I felt strongly that I had something meaningful to share, but talked myself out of it: too risky, too vulnerable, too “out there.”

Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up by Kathy Khang is challenging me to look carefully at the way I use my words, lending the realization that even my choice to be silent communicates something. Apathy, insecurity, or laziness are not traits I want to “give voice” to, so I’m trusting for courage to lean into a gracious and yet more vocal role in the communities I inhabit.

Khang shares her own legacy of silence, struggling with her role as an immigrant from South Korea, feeling voiceless, learning to raise her voice “doing the good work of the good news,” while struggling with credibility and suffering from imposter syndrome. Challenges arising from her experience as a woman of color in a leadership role in para-church ministry drove her deeply into the Word of God for assurance from biblical role models like Esther and Moses. Beloved and known by our Creator, we are called, at times, to speak gritty truth to one another, not to hurt or tear down, but to bless and to influence for good.

Learning to Speak Up
Going forward, I am working on a reasoned approach to raising my voice based on seven questions Kathy Khang has posed:

Who Am I? What unique perspectives do I bring to the table as a white, middle-aged, long-time-married mother of sons with plenty of time in a pew? Who else is sitting around the same table with me? What can we learn from each other?
What is in My Wheelhouse? The downward draw of imposter syndrome has muzzled me more than once in situations where I probably had the most experience in the room, but was too intimidated to speak up–even though I saw the conversation going in a direction that looked ominous to me. The lesson here? Any combination of gifting and experience that God has graciously given comes with a responsibility to speak up.
Am I Willing to Fail or Be Judged? Quite honestly, his is huge for me, but most of the time, I am probably much safer than I imagine. Kathy points out that testing my voice is a matter of humility. I don’t need to “toughen up, become immune, or be unmoved by criticism or failure.” (59) I just need to be willing to learn from it.
What Are My Unique Gifts, Talents, and Skills? Good stewardship demands that I put myself in the way of risk to be available for God’s agenda.
Who Are My People? Who needs my encouragement? Whom has God already put within my circle of influence?
What Diverse Voices Am I Learning From? Reading, listening, paying attention to people whose faces and stories are radically different from my own has been life changing. Raise Your Voice sat in a pile beside my bed for months before I made the commitment to read it, because I knew the author would call me out of my comfort zone. A word to the wise: sometimes the journey into discomfort is easier in community. If you’re looking for a challenge, The Red Couch Book Club is reading Kathy’s book this month.
How Do You Care for Yourself? Self care can be as simple as going to bed at a reasonable time, eating healthfully and mindfully, or saying no to unreasonable demands. If my voice is shrill from exhaustion or unreasonable because of poor preparation, the message God has given to me may not be conveyed in the best possible way.
Raise Your Voice!
There’s plenty of work in these seven questions to last me well into the new year, and I’m wondering if you also are feeling the tug to raise your voice in profound and courageous words. It can be a fearsome thing to be visible in the world by becoming uncomfortably audible. God invites us to inhabit our vulnerability by faith, a sinewy confidence in a sovereign God that trusts in His placement of our voices, cherishes His assignment of our customized message, and leaves the outcome in His powerful hands.

Many thanks to InterVarsity Press for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.

[Cara Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathy Khang is gentle and wise, instructive and tangible in her stories. I can’t think of a more appropriate book for today, especially for those who feel stuck about speaking up.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a useful, practical book in a "say anything" culture. Kathy Khang comes alongside those of us who might be hesitant to speak up or who are new to finding and using our voice in the social arena and shows us how to do both with grace and right motives.

I like how the book is structured to first address the reasons we stay silent and then gives us ways to speak up that are humble and practical. Never did it feel like the author was demanding that we speak up. Hers is a voice of encouragement and passion that makes me want to use mine more and better.

[Jayne Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a lot to think about and is one I'll refer back to.

[Lori Neff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Encouraging, practical. This is an important book - especially if you feel marginalized in any context. How do we wisely speak up and use our voices? The world needs to hear from you and me.
Quote I love: "There are many ways in which we can use our voice. You can blog, tweet, or preach, but you don't have to blog, tweet, or preach to speak up." There's a place for you and there's a place for me - and it may not look the same! <3

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathy Khang invites her readers into her own story of being silenced and finding her voice. This is a powerful and timely book but what I loved most about it is that Kathy doesn't let us off the hook. We all have spaces in which we can raise our voices - from family discussions to community gatherings and social media to large platforms. How we choose to respond (or don't) speaks volumes. Kathy is gentle and yet sets a high expectation for how we can all choose to respond to the world around us. The lessons she gives and the practical application offered has already helped me view my own choices and conversations in a more thoughtful light.

**I received a copy of this book for review purposes. These are my honest opinions.**

[Marie Hougton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a relevant read. It walks the reader through the process of discerning the when, where, who, why, and how to raise your voice. Kathy’s writing style is relatable, smart, and funny. I loved the discussion questions at the end. This book would make a great personal study, but I think it would be most powerful discussed in community.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am friends with Kathy, and I like her a lot, so I am pre-disposed to like her book, especially one in which she contends for the voices of those who typically remain silent.

That being said, this is a great read. She deftly blends humor with moving personal stories, and somehow manages to stay practical throughout. She also brings a wonderful lens to familiar biblical characters (Moses, David, Esther) and adds refreshing nuances to their stories as ones who struggled, for various reasons, to speak up in their context. Her argument makes a convincing connection between our divine image-bearing (imago dei), our social location and identity, and the use of our voice, which is inspiring.

If you have ever struggled to know when to speak, or felt shamed for passionately using your voice, or haven't yet found that part of yourself, then this book is an easy recommendation.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure exactly when I first heard Kathy Khang's voice but I know it was online. In real life (IRF), I am about 1 degree of separation from her, having friends in similar circles (e.g. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, ministers and activists and the Evangelical Covenant Church). But I know I am grateful for getting to know her voice, and she's challenged me (mediocre white male, that I am) to rethink stuff and be more mindful about systemic racism and appropriation. I vividly remember Kathy calling attention to Lifeway's Rickshaw Rally, the all white cast of a progressive Christian conference discussing the peace of the Gospel without any thought of diversity, and challenging White Evangelical complicity in systemic racism and Empire (i.e. Trumpism).

In part 1 of Raise Your Voice, Khang shares how she learned to 'raise her voice.' She emigrated from South Korea as a child, and navigated American culture as an Asian American, an immigrant and a woman and mother. In lots of ways, she was pressured to be silent and remain silent. However, she found her voice and began speaking about cultural appropriation, faith, violence against the Black community, feminism, and politics. As she shares her own story of speaking up (or sometimes not speaking up) she also reflects on the biblical example of Moses (afraid to speak up when he was called),Esther (who learned to raise her voice to save her people, the Jews, from certain destruction and the Bleeding Woman (Mark 5).

Part 2 offers some practical reflections on how to speak up. This is not a 'how to' book, but Khang shares some insights and practices that have helped her both listen well, and speak up when she needs to (these are related domains). She explores what it means to use our voice in real life and the various spheres we occupy (everything from our 'underwear family' all the way to our job). She also describes her process and gives practical advice on how to engage with people online and on social media and the various ways each of us can use our gifts and talents as we learn to speak in our own voice.Khang conducted interviews with Reesheda M. Graham-Washington, her friend Brenda, and artist, Maggie Hubbard which she includes here to show these women learned to raise their voices.

I read Khang's book eagerly with anticipation. Her voice is one I really respect, and often when issues come up in our culture (e.g. immigration, lies, collusion, white supremacy, violence), I look to see if she's written anything about it. She has a peculiar gift for cutting through the crap with both truth and grace.

I'm a white male, and therefore my voice has been culturally privileged. I've had to learn to stop and really listen before I speak (and as an extrovert this is hard to do). But in other ways, I too can be silent and not speak up in the face of the authorities and in the case of injustice. Sometimes I am too afraid to speak up. Sometimes I don't feel like I understand enough. But to speak up is to name our hope that real change is possible. Kathy's words and her voice give me courage to raise my voice.

I give this book five stars. You should read it. -★★★★★

I received a copy of this book from the Author and IVP in exchange for my honest review. I also purchased a copy to share with someone else.

[April Yamasaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Kathy Khang shares out of her personal and ministry experience and from her reading of Scripture to offer encouragement and practical guidance on finding your voice and speaking up. Not to be disruptive for its own sake, but to express the hope and fullness of God's good news and advocate for change. This book is a great primer for anyone who feels they're just finding their voice, and for anyone already on that journey, the author encourages them to encourage others at the same time. For my longer review, please see On Being Silenced and How to Speak Up.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Explores both why we stay silent and how we may learn to speak up about the things we most deeply care about, particularly in seeking a more just society for all.

Kathy Khang grew up as the child of Korean immigrant parents, writing in a journal given her by her father at an early age. She eventually became a journalist who learned to use her voice in interviews, in getting stories, and yet struggled with the tension of breaking with cultural norms that often rewarded one for silence, and gender norms that labelled outspoken women as "aggressive, arrogant or abrasive" or "a witch" or another term that rhymes with it. Raising one's voice can be costly.

This book captures Kathy's experience of both the forces that pressure us to silence our voices, and how we might learn to speak up, to raise our voices. She begins with silencing, in this case where a supervisor literally covered her mouth in a meeting with senior leadership when she was going to voice hard truths no one in the room was saying. Often, though, we silence ourselves, believing "the imposter syndrome" when, like Moses, God sees us, is with us, and sends us. Like Esther, we need to remember we are also Hadassah, the Jewish girl who will be identified with her people, and in remembering who she is, risks her life as an advocate. She explores the excuses we give for silence--we don't understand (even though we sense there is something very wrong in what we witness), we say, 'let God take care of it,' or because our silence preserves a pretty good status quo for us. 

She also considers how we may learn to speak up. It starts with who our IRL (in real life) audience is--from our "underwear family" to neighbors and church and workplace, and the kinds of issues we need to think about with each. She also considers our online lives, and the challenges to real conversation when so often these degenerate. She talks about working with friends in discerning how to engage an issue online--not just jumping out there on your own. Her "Learn from My Mistakes Page" is gold with a critical piece of advice being that what we post online stays forever, and we shouldn't post anything we wouldn't want those closest to us to see, or see in public media like the New York Times. I have nowhere near the social media presence Kathy does, but everything here rings true.

She concludes by talking about the different ways, according to different gifts, by which people speak up. Her book is such an encouragement that all of us have voices, and while we use them in different ways, they all are meant to be used and heard.

I had to laugh (because she nailed it) at her description of "Midwest nice" as "a superficial collegiality with a touch of passive aggressiveness," or as Soong-Chan Rah, who she quotes says, Midwest nice is like "a dog that licks your face while peeing on your shoes." I'm guilty as charged here, living in the Midwest, particularly in allowing my voice to be muted into placative efforts to achieve superficial peace that fails to come to terms with what radical gospel justice looks like. I'm often tempted to maintain a peaceful status quo.

As a white male, though, one of the most important lessons of this book is listening to what those who are women, or who are ethnic minorities wrestle with in finding their voices and using them. Khang's narrative encourages me to stop man-spreading, and man-splaining, and listen to the chorus of our female and ethnic minority brothers and sisters. I sing in a choir and one of the first things we learn is that if you can't hear other voices, or your section can't hear other sections, you are singing too loud! White men have been singing too loud and too long in the American church, suppressing the voice of the rest of the "beloved community." I need Kathy's voice, as uncomfortable as it has sometimes made me feel, if I am ever to shake off "Midwest nice." I'm glad she has used, and raised, the voice God has given her.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up by Kathy Khang is a thoughtful read perfectly situated to encourage others with practical guidelines for how to step up and speak out.

Khang repeatedly returns to the biblical story of Queen Esther as a lens to guide us in how to speak up when we find ourselves in a place of influence, even if taking a stand may be dangerous.

I love to read nonfiction titles, but I admit I find myself putting some authors on a level above me; the rest of us are down below, as we have less courage, less innate ability, less brilliance. They tell their story, but it ends there -- I don't necessarily find natural take-aways to implement in my own life because they are so superior to us mere mortals. Their foibles, if documented, seem to be conquered easily, never to be a stumbling block again.

However, Kathy Khang is real to me; she genuinely shows her process of learning to raise her voice, as well as times she chose not to and how those situations shaped her. Her words and experiences resonated with me. I am naturally non-confrontational and a people pleaser, so it was a powerful example to hear from someone who found her gender and her culture came with expectations for keeping the peace, and yet she was able to go beyond those expectations to learn to boldly stand up and speak out. Khang admits it didn't always turn out well, and at times she has had to admit she was wrong. All the more, those instances resonate with me, since speaking up can be a complicated process filled with hasty misjudgments and misunderstandings.

My copy is filled with highlights, as there were so many passages I want to return to. The sections detailing what to do before, during, and after speaking up are phenomenal. There are no shortage of opportunities to speak up on social media, and Khang's best practices there are relevant.

Khang doesn't sugarcoat what can change when you start raising your voice. She recognizes things can be uncomfortable, but she reminds us that, "Speaking up doesn't increase division. It brings injustice and sin to the forefront. Speaking up can be an avenue of truth and healing, which can be painful for you and your friends."

This was a valuable, well-written read.

(I was given a digital ARC copy from NetGalley and InterVarsity Press in exchange for my honest review.)

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought the entire book was good, but for me the real heart of the book is the second half, dealing with the practicalities of raising our voice in real life, whether that is in person or online. Ms. Khang gives us steps to follow when we are considering speaking up about an issue, as well as questions to ask ourselves. As someone who often jumps into conversations or social media interactions based solely on my gut reaction, it was helpful to be reminded to slow down, to pray, to research, etc. It's this portion of the book that I expect to return to multiple times as I learn more about my unique voice and how to use it most effectively.

If you are debating reading this book because you think it is solely for 'social justice warriors' I would highly encourage you to read it. You may not find yourself out marching in the next "blacklivesmatter protest, but you may begin to have an inkling of the unique issues that God has placed in your heart, and you will find encouragement to speak up on those issues, be they large or small. Khang's point is that all our voices are necessary, because we all are part of a bigger community.

If you are the sort of person who gives books as graduation gifts, I could easily see this being an appropriate gift for a new high school or college graduate. But that's just me and my book-loving ways.

(Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of providing a review, but I wanted a copy anyway and the opinion expressed is entirely my own.)

[Erin Oeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my journey to find my voice, I am always on the lookout for role models, women who have a strong voice and use it for good and for God’s glory. I certainly found one here. Reading the book is like sitting down for coffee with a valued mentor, offering to guide us on the journey and sharing hers with us. Her tone is instructive and helpful. She gives powerful and relatable stories from her own life and from scripture. And she challenges us to engage while answering our objections (i.e. excuses) and giving us practical how-to’s for finding our own voice in the public sphere.

This book also gives voice to our responsibility to listen, support, encourage, and engage with voices of others, particularly voices of color and voices that challenge our own privilege and biases.

I particularly appreciate the reflection questions at the end of the book, as I plan to spend time working through these, praying through these, and growing from them.

As a college educator, I often get to shepherd students in finding their voices. This book will be a go-to in my work for them and yes, for me too, as I resist the silence to raise my voice.

Disclaimer, I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for this review.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raise Your Voice is powerful and important. It’s so delightfully practical, spiritual, and encouraging. Filled with enough anecdotes that give honest, real-life examples. Weaving in narratives from the Bible from her perspective. I loved the way the author describes Esther's dual identity, having two names, Esther and Hadassah, along with a time to step up and raise her voice – for such a time as this – to hear it told from Kathy’s perspective was vivid and powerful. She emboldens and encourages practical, tangible action steps for personal work, listening to and amplifying other diverse voices, but also boldly speaking up when silence equates complicity. She includes helpful checks and balances, a practical do this, don't do this list. I'm learning how to spend my privilege and take time to be informed. She also touches on and debunks a theme we hear constantly these days in Christian circles: “Our unity in Christ does not erase diversity. Our unity in Christ affirms and even demands diversity for the flourishing and stewarding of this world. Our diverse voices allow God’s truth to be told in many ways.”

Finally, I leave you with this quote from the book:
“The reason I most often choose to stay silent is the one I don’t want to admit. If I benefit from the status quo, I have a vested interest in maintaining it. Silence is complicity. Speaking out is often labeled as rocking the boat or causing trouble, but silence is just as dangerous.”

I highly recommend. I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my review, but my thoughts are my own. This is an important and timely book.

[Tiffysays · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to using the voice you have been given, whether that is your literal voice or any gift or talent God has given you that "speaks" (e.g. music, art, dance, etc). If you've felt God press on your heart to speak out on something, perhaps a matter of faith or social justice that you notice isn't being addressed well or at all, it can be hard to know how to do that in a helpful/godly way. Khang deals with how and why we silence ourselves to help us overcome those obstacles to speaking. Then she gives practical questions and steps to take before speaking out. I loved her encouragement that we will make mistakes as we learn to use our voice but we can't let mistakes keep us from practicing and honing our voices. I appreciated her approach to using online platforms as a viable way to raise your voice and the tips she gives there.

And for those who are already speaking out but feeling frustrated, there is great advice for self-care and sobering advice to remember that we have to check our motives. Are we raising our voices just to be disruptive for the sake of being disruptive, for being right, or are we doing it with a true heart to see positive change in our world?

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My advance copy of RAISE YOUR VOICE by Kathy Khang is now curled, dog-eared and re-re-re-read. We are in a period when we need to raise our voices at our child's school, on the sidewalk in front of government buildings, in letters and phone calls to those in charge of programs and decision-making, in person and on line. Kathy reminded me, a veteran speaker-upper, of all the reasons why we can't be silenced, need to speak up for the first time or in front of strangers or loved ones, take care of ourselves and know the right times and places to raise our voices to make a difference - even when we don't know what the outcome will be. Every time I've reread chapters, Kathy Khang's words hit me hard, remind me I'm not alone, help me figure out a better way to approach certain situations. In addition, Kathy's forthright explanation of living as and speaking up as a Korean American in today's world shows the reader it is no easy peasy thing to be an activist due to her birth culture and today's political climate. DISCLAIMER: This book does include the words God, faith, church but a secular reader can read this and find a lot of good advice and nodding "yep" moments. Get this book for yourself, your shy neighbor, your protest group (yes, there are ways to get things done beyond carrying a sign), book study etc. It's worth it!

[Tiffany Malloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Kathy's for several years. She's been a voice that I've paid attention because I was certain she was going to call things like she saw them. She seemed unafraid of what her words might cost her in the christian industrial complex. I admired that.

All that being said, this book was exactly what I hoped it would be. The first half of the book is about why we stay silent; the second part about how we speak up. Kathy shares some of her story of how she found her voice-- stories from early on, and some from more recent.

I really appreciated the guidelines and wisdom she offers in speaking up. She dedicates one chapter to speaking up IRL, and another in the digital realm. She stresses the importance of thinking through why, how, and to what end we raise our voices.

If you struggle with speaking up for what you believe, or what you see, I'd highly recommend this book. It's a short, readable book from an amazing woman!

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]


Raise Your Voice
Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up
by Kathy Khang
InterVarsity Press
Christian , Religion & Spirituality
Pub Date 31 Jul 2018
I am reviewing a copy of Raise Your Voice through InterVarsity Press and Netgalley.
We have a voice, and God has given it to us to use. In some places certain voices are amplified while others are either erased or suppressed.




We often find it hard to speak up, especially when we fear what we say being twisted on Social Media. We become silent and marginalized by power dynamics, especially when race, gender and ethnicity become factors.



Activist Kathy Khang reminds us that the root of out identify and ethnicity are rooted in the image of God!



I give Raise Your Voice five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Rob Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raise Your Voice, by Kathy Khang, is a must read for anyone who is thinking about voice, power, and privilege. For those on the margins, Raise Your Voice will bolster and empower you to push through barriers in order to be heard. And for those with privilege, Raise Your Voice will challenge and equip you to make space for the voices on the margins.

In the spaces where I operate, I am someone with a relatively significant degree of social power, but I am not immune from the reality of imposter syndrome. And that’s one reason why I needed to read Raise Your Voice. Chapter 3, with its litany of insightful questions designed to help us choose where, when, and how to raise our voice, was for me worth the whole price of the book.

As Khang says, “I want you to know that you have a voice. God wants you to use it, and the world needs to hear, see, and experience it.” Amen, and may it be so in greater measure. Wherever you are on your journey of finding your voice, let Raise Your Voice serve as a map for your road ahead.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!

This book offers such practical ways for us to leverage our voices to impact our communities. I appreciated the weaving in of the story of Queen Esther, thus providing an example of how women are not one dimensional as influencers, but instead, have such depth and variety. The book offers practical ways in which we can raise our voices effectively as well as supporting one another in our diversity of voices.
I highly recommend this book.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard Kathy speak at the Festival of Faith & Writing and witnessed the impact of a willing voice, and I jumped at the chance to read her book and see her words on the page.

"At some point in our lives, we learn to communicate, whether verbally or non-verbally. But most of us are also taught to silence ourselves or to stay out of the conversation for self-preservation. We are taught to avoid conflict, keep the peace, and keep our personal opinions to ourselves because we're told that speaking out doesn't actually affect change. However, self-preservation takes on a different sense of urgency and meaning as the national and global political landscape continues to shift..."

I appreciated seeing Kathy's world through her eyes and receiving wise admonishments about the luxury of staying quiet. I'm game for a book club discussion.

[Carrie Kann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #3 of my "Spiritual Formation Books from Minority Authors" series.

This book was phenomenal. Kathy Khang is a wise, brave voice speaking up with authority to champion for the voices that are often silenced. She clearly lays out why having diverse voices matters, and left me wanting to be more brave and champion my sisters and brothers who have long been silenced.

[Andrea Humphries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given today's social and political climate, I can't think of a more practical and needed book than Raise Your Voice. In Part 1, Kathy Khang walks us through some of her own journey learning to raise her voice. In Part 2, she provides the concrete steps to help the reader do the same. Kathy is smart and funny and makes the reader feel at ease, even as she's challenging you. I appreciated the way the whole book is grounded in Scripture and the way she related situations we're currently facing to those faced by various biblical figures. We need more books like this.

[Breah Ponce · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up. this book was easy to read and digest. it wasn't quite as powerful as I was expecting, but I did takeaway a handful of helpful ideas and tools around raising my voice. my favorite parts of the book were the reflections on and connections to Esther from the Bible.

[Stephanie Holmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed Khang’s reading and analysis of the story of Esther in scripture through an anti-racist lens. Great read for anyone learning to raise their voice or wondering how to support those around them who have a voice to be amplified.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who was raised in a toxic church culture where as a girl my voice was not valued as I was expected to be seen and not heard, it has taken years of growth to be more comfortable raising my voice and expressing myself. I still have tons of room for growth in this area. I so appreciated this read from Korean American Christian author Kathy Khang as she shared her story weaved in with deeply rooted Biblical stories from Esther, Moses, Nathan the prophet, and more. Another excellent recommendation from Be the Bridge ministry.

[Megan Westra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kathy is equally conversational and profound. At one point in the book she refers to herself as an "auntie," and that is truly how Raise Your Voice reads - as though you were sitting with a wise, funny, and deeply caring auntie or mentor who has no time for bullshit.

Carefully weaving together biblical narratives of saints who spoke up, Raise Your Voice is a practical tool for any person of who is considering how their Christian faith may call them to public action, or perhaps simply to more intentional private discourse. Kathy's book is timely, needed and a must-read for those trying to find their voice.