Cover Story - Soledad O’Brien
LATINO/A IN AMERICA
CNN CORRESPONDENT SOLEDAD O'BRIEN HAS PAVED A WAY FOR DIVERSE NEWS COVERAGE ON NETWORK TELEVISION. NOW, IT'S HER GOAL TO MAKE SURE THAT 51 MILLION STORIES ARE TOLD RIGHT.
For some, a diverse cultural background can be a burden. There are those who do not enjoy providing the details of their ethnic makeup for complete strangers or explaining how they "feel" about it. However, there are others who embrace and celebrate their heritage. Soledad O'Brien doesn't exactly fit into any of these categories.
As a child, O'Brien neither embraced nor denied her nationality or felt pressured to explain her lineage. Perhaps her approach to the situation could be considered a precursor to who she would later become—an Emmy-Award winning journalist. As such, O'Brien –focuses on uncovering the truth and establishing facts – and for Soledad –her background is simple and uncomplicated:
Fact: She is Cuban.
Fact: She is Black.
Fact: She is also Australian and Irish.
And the truth is there has never been a time where Soledad felt troubled by any of this.
Growing up in a predominately White suburb of Long Island, N.Y.-- Soledad never felt the frustration typically associated with being different. The 43-year-old anchor (who is the fifth of six children) was born to an Afro-Cuban mother and an Australian father of Irish descent. Her parents brought along two very distinct experiences but they united under a strong belief in Catholicism and Education. Though, her mother often spoke about the likelihood of encountering prejudice, both parents instilled a quiet pride that Soledad carried with her as she matured and developed as a young woman and professional journalist.
It wasn't until college that O'Brien began to really reflect on her background. At Harvard University, for the first time she was surrounded by people of all colors, religions and ethnic compositions. Soledad noted the change in atmosphere. Suddenly there was a new desire to discuss, understand and ultimately appreciate differences. She embraced her roots with a new vigor. After college, O'Brien continued to gain a deeper understanding, which later propelled her to knock down barriers professionally by creating the groundbreaking documentary CNN's Black in America in 2008. And personally, although her Mother never taught her children Spanish, Soledad began to learn the language—and while her conversation admittedly needs improvement, O'Brien is committed to becoming fluent.
Soledad's most recent project, CNN's Latino in America , finds her at the center of a very complex subject– and the conundrum that is a fair and adequate representation of an enormously diverse Latino community. It is a challenging undertaking for any journalist, but it can be especially so, if you are a part of that community. After weeks of waiting patiently, ULM caught up with the correspondent to discuss heritage, identity, and the challenge of making the documentary, Latino in America.
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