Say what you will, there are plenty of critics out there who do not like Odyssey. I have seen this on Facebook, Reddit, and even from people I interact with on a daily basis. Specifically have noticed that some of the communities on Reddit have outlined that “All and any Odyssey content is banned from being posted here.”

That’s appalling to me. You’re restricting the ability to have thousands of millennials voices heard, daily. And most of the time we are just trying to prove that our voice is worth being heard because we are not what the older generations make us out out be. It’s unbelievably frustrating.

I write for Odyssey not for the attention and not to fulfill some extracurricular activities on my resume. I write because I wholeheartedly believe in this company. I believe in its mission and its goal to democratize the way news and other content is created and consumed.

It’s a platform that allows me to share how I feel on controversial issues or even what I like about the new TV show on ABC. It’s the freedom in what we can talk about and discuss is what I love so much about Odyssey. It’s given me a way to express how I feel, instead of spewing words all over Facebook like many of us do.

I am so passionate about this company and seeing it grow, that it honestly hurts me when others don’t take it as seriously as they should. We are constantly being discredited in so many different ways. And I would just like to remind everyone that this is purely for enjoyment and to allow others to express themselves. So please stop trying to bash this company. Our creators are not here to achieve international stardom, at least the ones that I know aren’t trying too.

So yes maybe not every article we’ve published in the past has been perfectly edited or has met every single AP style format. But look at the message of the article, the story behind those words, because there is something deeper than grammatical errors. There is a person behind those words trying to convey something in a deeper more meaningful way.

I love Odyssey and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

If you are interested in becoming a creator for Odyssey, fill out an invite today!