Inside Voices – Novie Craven, Podcast Host and Special Olympics Athlete, Special Olympics

You’re a Special Olympics gold medalist in Bocce, AND you host two podcasts! How do those two worlds fit together? 
When I first joined Special Olympics DC, Bocce was the first sport I tried. I knew nothing about bocce, and several athletes who had played it before showed me how to play. In 2018, I competed in bocce at the Special Olympics USA Games in Seattle, Washington. I brought home a gold medal, a bronze medal and a fourth-place ribbon. Getting a ribbon did not feel fun, but in Special Olympics, we cannot always get a medal. I am very blessed to have this awesome community around me to chase my dreams.

Special Olympics taught me to be brave, and when I started working at the Special Olympics headquarters in Washington, D.C., my colleagues encouraged me to start podcasting. When they pitched the idea to me, I was not fond of it, but they convinced me that it would be fun. A light switch turned on in my head, and I became more interested in the idea.

Trying something new is important because you never know how good the outcome will be. Both bocce and podcasting allow me to get to know other athletes and leaders. It is good to have a platform and a voice for people with intellectual disabilities. I get to do that on the bocce court and behind the mic.

Where did the idea for  Novie Knows  come from?
I was talking to my colleagues about where I like to go, what I like to do, and we thought it would be fun to make episodes about my life. We wanted to show what it is like to live life with an intellectual disability. Nobody knows what Novie Knows, and sometimes I don’t know either.

We talk a lot of about sports in Special Olympics, but my life is so much more than sports. I like to go places, I like to do things, I like to meet people and try new foods.

Out of anywhere in the world, you picked New Jersey for a full day of food. Why Jersey?
I wanted to see what it was like to live in New Jersey for a few days. New Jersey is always a popular spot to go to. I had been there before, but I wanted to go back. I wanted to see what the atmosphere was like. Also, New Jersey is good for their Italian food, and they have a good variety of pizza. Pizza makes me feel great because there are so many types, like spaghetti pizza, which I’ve never had. You can make any type of pizza you want. In New Jersey, pizza can come in any shape or fashion.

You mentioned you always wanted to make your own pizza and finally got to do it on this episode. What was that moment like? 
Making my own pizza was very exciting because you could put as much as you wanted on the pizza. I did not know that pizza was made of dough or that dough was made of water. You have to make the pizza in a round shape, and then you can add the cheese. Then you can add whatever you want for toppings. And then stick that thing in the oven, and voila!

My pizza was very delicious, and I thank Uncle Louie’s Pizza for teaching me about their recipes.

Is there a place you’ve wanted to take  Novie Knows, or something you’ve wanted to do on the show that’s still on your wish list? 
I would like to go to North Carolina or Florida. I wouldn’t mind going to Kentucky to see the Kentucky Derby. I would like to see how the people dress up. Sometimes, I want to travel the world. There are so many places I want to go in my head. On Novie Knows, I’d also like to go go-karting or roller-skating.

You never know what people are thinking about you. I always tell people I am going to prove them wrong. When I was younger, the doctors said I would never be able to walk, talk or do anything. But what am I doing right now? I am proving them wrong!

Does your work make an impact like Novie’s? Prove It. Submit your best projects by November 13th to save on entries.