The daughter of a Afro Cuban mother and an Australian father and the fifth of six children that all graduated from Harvard University - CNN’s Soledad O’Brien talks about her journey from Long Island to the CNN anchor desk in The Next Big Story: My Journey Through the Land of Possibilities available now in book stores and online. Soledad’s latest novel is filled with personal encounters from her many reporting assignments from her early days in broadcasting to covering world disasters while shedding light on being Black and Latino in America – Soledad O’Brien spoke to Concrete Loop’s Felicia Mancini on her big story.
FELICIA: I like to ask most of the people I have the pleasure of interviewing this question especially journalists I have spoke to, as a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
SOLEDAD: I had a series of things I was obsessed with when I was a child. I wanted to walk race horses because I wanted to be a Jockey, a doctor, absolutely and positively I wanted to be a doctor. I also wanted to be a musician! We had a family newspaper and I would interview my dad about a vegetable garden you know? I don’t think I necessarily knew I wanted to become a journalist but there were clues.
FELICIA: Who, what or where inspires you?
SOLEDAD: I think that interesting people and interesting stories do! I’m curious to get to the root of what’s going on. I want to interview the main characters and that inspires me. So does my family that always pushes me to do things well- I am really lucky to have friends that raise up important questions with random conversations we have too.
FELICIA: What did you take from your upbringing as a multicultural young woman in America that influences your work now?
SOLEDAD: I think when I was growing up I never really one hundred percent could identify with anybody. I think in a sense being an outsider and still being able to make it work with is what a lot of journalists have to do and jump into a situation for a story. I needed to identify but still had an outside look that came from my childhood having an outsider perspective that you could have a critically eye on something while still understanding the issues and where they are coming from.
Those close to singer Monica and NBA player Shannon Brown say that the couple have already gotten married. Word on the street is that the R&B songstress recently changed her last name to Brown a few weeks ago at an Atlanta courthouse and that the lovebirds tied the knot back in November in front of their parents. It is said that Monica and Shannon will be having an official wedding with family and friends some time in June. [
Apparently Aubry was never officially declared as the father of their daughter until December of last year, when he filed the petition. Berry and Aubry dated for five years before separating last spring. [
Now rumors are spreading that rapper/actor Common and tennis athlete and powerhouse Serena Williams may be engaged. Serena’s lovely best friend, Selita E. Banks was on the Wendy Williams Show earlier this week and was asked whether it was true. Check out what the supermodel had to say about the rumors around Common and Serena:
