Award-winning journalist and CNN special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, who has focused her career on telling untold and important stories, will deliver a keynote address at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28.
O’Brien will talk about her life experiences and family, and will discuss identity, community and social responsibility. She will highlight critical points in her journey, including social media, the accountability of reporting personal stories and giving back to your community.
A world-famous journalist, O’Brien is known for her “Black in America” documentary series, and for her breaking news coverage from around the globe. That has included her Emmy-winning coverage of the crisis in Haiti in 2011, and as part of the award-winning team coverage of the BP oil spill, Hurricane Katrina and the Southeast Asia tsunami.
In 2010, O’Brien published her critically acclaimed memoir, The Next Big Story: My Journey through the Land of Possibilities, which chronicles her biggest reporting moments and how her upbringing and background have influenced these experiences.
O’Brien’s keynote is the first event in the office of Campus and Student Life’s new diversity awareness campaign, RISE (which stands for Reflect. Intervene. Speak. Engage). The RISE campaign represents CSL’s commitment to UChicago’s values of respect and free expression as a University community. RISE, which will be formally announced later this week, will encourage all members of and visitors to the University of Chicago to challenge assumptions about the role of race, gender, sexuality and other aspects of identity in the intellectual community.
This event is free and open to the public. Students should bring their University IDs for entry. A reception will immediately follow in Rockefeller Chapel.
Individuals with disabilities or who need an accommodation in order to participate in this event should contact ORCSA at 773.702.8787.
—Prof. Kunle Odunsi
