Unheard Voices, Inc

01 — The Challenge

After being shot as an innocent bystander in his twenties, Rayshawn Smith faced a life-altering injury that changed everything he knew. Rather than allowing that experience to define his future, he created Unheard Voices in 2018 to bring hope, encouragement, and meaningful support to others impacted by gun violence. His vision was to establish a community where survivors could share their experiences, find resources, attend support meetings, and rebuild their lives without feeling alone. His work also extended into community advocacy, public speaking, and wheelchair basketball.

02 — How We Helped

Stackwell Studios helped Rayshawn navigate the nonprofit setup process, including assistance with his 501(c)(3) application. We designed and developed a custom website that communicated his mission, highlighted available support services, and featured media coverage of his advocacy work. The website also included online donation processing, volunteer and contact forms, a media management section for uploading videos and other content, and an event registration and ticketing system that allowed visitors to register and purchase tickets for community events.

03 — The Outcome

Unheard Voices gained a centralized digital platform to share its founder's story, connect gun violence survivors with community support, promote events, recruit volunteers, and receive financial contributions. The website brought the organization's mission, services, media coverage, and engagement opportunities into one accessible online destination supporting Rayshawn's efforts to turn his personal experience into a source of hope and connection for others.