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Journey of Hope
LAURA LING captivates audiences with a raw and candid look inside the life of an international journalist, including the importance of exposing critical global issues, the challenges faced in various parts of the world, and what she learned in one of the world’s most reclusive countries. She recounts her time in captivity, from her violent capture, to fears that she might never see her family again, to the glimmers of compassion directed towards her by her captors. Ling inspires others not only to find hope and strength during our darkest hours, but to work towards a common humanity in an increasingly divisive world.
Freedom as a Responsibility
LAURA LING sheds light on critical human rights issues and the struggle for freedom taking place around the world and in the U.S. Her story also provides a rare and unique window into the so-called "Hermit Nation," and what happens when people from "enemy" nations get a chance to interact and communicate face-to-face. She inspires audiences to view freedom, not just as a right, but as a responsibility.
Rituals That Heal the Human Spirit
LAURA LING talks about the power of rituals to overcome our biggest obstacles and how these practices can help us reach our greatest successes. She recounts her time in captivity in North Korea and the lessons she learned about adversity. While Ling shares her ritual of gratitude that that helped sustain her throughout that terrifying period of isolation, she inspires audiences to discover their own daily practices that can lead to new perspectives on life.
Laura Ling gave the closing keynote at Women of the Channel Leadership Summit West and received phenomenal feedback
Award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author LAURA LING gave the closing keynote for The Channel Company’s summit and received phenomenal audience feedback. The Women of the Channel Leadership Summit West welcomed over 600 emerging and established leaders from across the IT Channel. Laura’s motivational closing keynote, which focused on hope, earned significant praise: Laura’s session scored a phenomenal 6.8 out of 7, with 96% of attendees scoring it a 6 or 7.
The crowd at the Women of the Channel Leadership Summit West shared glowing praise for Laura’s uplifting keynote: “’The best keynote of all!’ … ‘Incredible story and journalist – happy to hear her speak!’ … ‘Wow! The power of hope and kindness are unlimited…’ … ‘Her presentation blew my mind, I had no idea her ordeal and found it beyond inspirational. My favorite part of the event!’”
Emmy Award-winning journalist Laura Ling shares a powerful message of perseverance and hope
Emmy Award-winning journalist, documentarian, and author LAURA LING has dedicated her intrepid career to reporting from dozens of countries on the most critical issues facing the world today and she captivates audiences with powerful insights about hope and perseverance that leave a big impact on audiences. In a fortifying commencement address for Carthage College, she recounts the experience of her arrest and captivity in North Korea, which she co-wrote as a memoir with her sister Lisa, Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home. Through this engrossing encounter, Ling imparts the lessons that came out of her greatest hardship, and how a practice of gratitude gave her the strength to keep hope alive.
Covering complex stories like slave labor in the Amazon, Mexico’s drug war, internet censorship in China, and women’s rights in Turkey, Ling has developed a thoughtful global perspective grounded in her belief that one should follow their passion to the farthest extent, and she entreats her audiences to dream without limitations. Sharing candid anecdotes from her time in the field and her prolific career as a producer and investigative journalist, Ling tailors addresses thoughtfully for each audience, capturing with warmth and brilliance the vital role we play in the global community and the incredible opportunities that come from embracing our shared humanity.
Laura Ling speaks about Asian representation and the importance of diversity
Journalist and author of Somewhere Inside: One Sister's Captivity in North Korea and the Other's Fight to Bring Her Home LAURA LING speaks proudly about her Asian heritage and culture. In her discussions, she touches on Asian representation in many fields including media and the importance of diversity. As a journalist who has traveled all over the world to expose critical global issues, Ling inspires others not only to find hope and strength during our darkest hours, but also to focus on our common humanity in an increasingly divisive world. She is the perfect speaker for so many different types of events promoting resilience and diversity, including Asian American Heritage Month celebrations, as she educates audiences in a memorable way while she tells her incredible story.
Laura Ling is an award-winning journalist and author. She most recently hosted the Discovery mini-documentary series, The Power of Kindness that looks at the scientific roots and benefits of being kind. She hosts Everyday Bravery, a podcast about overcoming life’s biggest challenges.
As the Director of Development for Discovery Communications’ digital network, Seeker, she oversaw the creation and production of original web series that have amassed hundreds of millions of views online.
Ling is the host of Conquered on Z Living Network, a series that profiles awe-inspiring people who have broken boundaries to achieve their goals. She has also hosted two documentary series airing on the E! Network: E! Investigates and Society X with Laura Ling. The shows investigate topics such as teen suicide, the challenges faced by military spouses, and underground youth subcultures in America.
Prior to joining E! Ling served as Vice President of Current TV’s journalism department and created Vanguard, the network’s weekly investigative documentary series. As a Vanguard correspondent, she traveled the world to report on subjects including slave labor in the Amazon, the drug war in Mexico, Internet censorship in China, and women’s rights in Turkey. Under her leadership, Vanguard received numerous prestigious awards including the Alfred I. DuPont Award and several Emmy nominations.
In March 2009, while reporting on the trafficking of North Korean women, Ling and her colleague Euna Lee were detained by North Korean soldiers along the Chinese-North Korean border. The two journalists were arrested and held captive in North Korea for 140 days before being granted a special pardon and returning to the United States. She documented her experience in the 2010 memoir, Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home, that she penned with her sister, Lisa.
As a correspondent for SoCal Connected, the hard-hitting news magazine series airing on KCET, Ling’s work was recognized with both an Emmy and a national Edward R. Murrow award. Ling has served as a producer for Channel One News and co-created Breaking it Down, a documentary series on MTV that aired between 1999 and 2001. Her work has appeared on ABC's Nightline, NBC, and PBS. She has also written editorials for the Los Angeles Times and CNN.com.
Ling was named one of Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year in 2009. She is a Service Ambassador for Points of Light, the nonpartisan organization dedicated to solving social problems through voluntary service. She resides in Mill Valley, California with her husband and two children.
My Speaker List
