Soledad O’Brien speaks about leadership

Many students came to see O'Brien speak about leadership.

An award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien whose career has taken her broadcasting talent to the CNN, NBC and HBO spoke about leadership at Ball State. 
 

O’Brien currently runs a Starfish Media Group and works for the Al Jazeera America. She is popular for Black America, Haiti and many more documentaries that she aired on the nation TV channels. 

At BSU O’Brien spoke to many students about leadership and how important it is to stand for what you believe. 

She said, “You have to constantly fight for what you stand for.” 

O’Brien also shared her career and how her race played a huge role in getting a job. 

She said, I usually cover mostly unrepresented groups that are not being covered in the media. 

“There are hundreds of stories about white people, five about black communities and the rest are all bad. Asian Americans and other minorities are also being left out,” she said. 

O’Brien also shared a story where she was not hired because of her race. 

She said, “When I called my mom and told her that they did not hire me because of my race; she responded, go to a place where they value not who you are but what can you do.” 

During her speech at BSU she brought many examples from her personal life and how did she build her broadcasting career. 

Commenting about her career in Al Jazeera America, O’Brien said people who usually criticize this channel do not even watch it. 

On her speech O'Brien expressed her respect and honored Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. She even read a portion this speech to student.

She said, "Leadership is everything, and is important in every aspect of our life."

Before she spoke at Emens Auditorium she had a short meeting with most of the journalism and telecommunication students. 

"I choose my own stories."She said. "I like to work on stories that stand for something and change somebodies life." 
 

A BSU alumna Donna Bookout who came to see O’Brien speak said, “I really like Soledad O’Brien that’s why I came to see her speak.” 

O'Brien ended her speech by a famour quote that she is inspired. 

"The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality.”