Lisa Ling, Investigative Explorer
The Junior League of Honolulu welcomes Ling as keynote speaker for its annual women’s conference HerStory 2008 Nov. 7. When asking what a “typical day” is like for nationally acclaimed journalist Lisa Ling, the answer is rather atypical. “You know, to be honest with you, there’s no such thing as a typical day for me - nothing about it is typical,” Ling laughs.
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“The thing that’s most rewarding for me is when we’re able to make a difference, even if it’s for one person. So whether it’s an international story or a domestic story, I feel fortunate to be able to tell these kind of stories to an American audience.”
Prior to traveling the globe for National Geographic, many remember Ling as co-host of Barbara Walter’s hit daytime talk show The View, where she readily expressed her opinions on current events and everyday issues. The show won its first daytime Emmy award with Ling on board, but in 2002 she decided to return to international reporting.
“I had a great time on The View, but it was actually very easy to make the transition back because I had worked as a journalist for so many years before I went to The View. So I felt like I was getting back to what I wanted to do,” Ling says. “The View was fun, but it wasn’t really my objective to be a daytime talk show host at 26 years old.”
Ling, 35, has been working in television for more than 15 years. At the age of 16 the California native became the host of Scratch, a nationally syndicated teen magazine show, and later moved on to become one of the youngest reporters for Channel One News, a network seen in middle and high schools across the country. By age 25, Ling had reported from more than two-dozen countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Algeria, Colombia, Cambodia, China, Vietnam, India and Iran as Channel One’s senior war correspondent.
There have been many instances in which Ling’s safety and even her life have been put at risk while on assignment. And while always cautious, Ling never goes into a story with fear, but rather with an open mind and an open heart. When reporting on the culture of U.S. prisons, Ling visited California State Prison, Sacramento, and says while it was intimidating, she went there with the intention of treating every person she encountered as a human being.
“I truly believe that’s one of the reasons why no big incidents happened there, because at the end of the day everybody has a story to tell and everybody wants to be heard - whether they’re accused of murder or the average Joe.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t say I’ve encountered a lot of dangerous stories in my career, but I go to visit these places for two or three weeks, and then I can come home. The majority of people who have to live in those kind of situations have to do so every day - so I just feel really lucky that I have this opportunity, and it’s a responsibility I take very seriously.”
While on assignment in India, Ling uncovered the horrific reality of child trafficking.
“They are the most vulnerable among us, they are the most voiceless people in the world, they are essentially the weakest,” she says. “It’s just shocking how many girls are being forced into sex slavery, into domestic slavery - and we just wanted to give these little girls a voice.”
Ling is a firm advocate of social and individual responsibility, but most of all
education. As a graduate of University of Southern California, she believes knowledge, initiative and overall responsibility have to be taken in order to rightfully understand and hopefully combat the problems at hand.
“We, as a country and as women, really need to focus more on the issues that pertain to women, because I truly believe that if women don’t stand up for each other than no one else will,” Ling attests. “In so many parts of the world, women are treated in such an inhumane way, and I think it’s incumbent upon us to really support each other and employ compassion when it comes to a lot of these stories.
“Domestically I think that we have a huge problem with our jail population, an exploding incarcerated population we really need to start dealing with. Drug addiction in the U.S. is hugely important,” she adds. “But as we’re watching these stories about the economic crisis and all that, the most important thing we all can do is to become more educated and more aware - learn about why this crisis is happening and how it can be averted.”
It’s clear Ling’s personal attitude and consistent drive are reflected throughout her life experiences, and as keynote speaker of this year’s HerStory conference, she serves as a shining example of what women can accomplish when they follow their passions. In fact, Ling’s hard work and dedication continue off-camera as well; she serves as a contributing editor for USA Weekend and is co-author of the book Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride: Rituals of Womanhood. She also has produced eight documentaries for PBS.
La Pietra senior Hayley Hughs will introduce Ling at the conference and is honored to be chosen as a part of the event.
“For years now La Pietra has had speakers from HerStory come in to speak, and I was always so interested in how women from all walks of life could take something they are passionate about and do so much with it,” Hughs shares. “La Pietra really gives girls a chance to become strong, confident and independent women, which are all qualities that Ms. Ling represents. She is an influential and inspiring woman, and the fact that she was able to establish herself in the work place at such a young age makes her a role model for girls everywhere.”
As for Ling, although her job may seem stressful to some, she gains invaluable lessons and never takes one day for granted.
“I wouldn’t be who I am if I hadn’t been able to encounter so many incredible people I’ve been able to meet,” she says. “The most important thing I’ve ever done for myself is I’ve allowed myself and I’ve gotten the opportunity to travel. I would say to young girls that if you have the opportunity to leave your comfort zone, it’s the best education you could possibly get, and it will change your life. It will make you so much smarter, it will make you a more human person and just widen your perspective enormously.
” I have a very positive attitude, and I wake up every morning and I’m so thankful for what I’m able to do. I very rarely get depressed or upset,” she adds. “I know that my biggest problem is nothing in comparison to some of these people I’ve met.”
Yet, surprisingly enough, what does come as a challenge for Ling is keeping her career and personal life separate, saying she does-n’t think of her job as actual “work.”
“It’s a part of me. I mean, my husband will tell you I’m on the phone constantly with people I have done stories on,” she says. “And when we got married we had 600 people at our wedding, and I invited the family whose house was blown away during Hurricane Katrina and the family that adopted a Chinese baby girl from China. I’m the one who is lucky to meet such extraordinary people.”
She and her husband, radiation oncologist Paul Song, married one year ago and have settled in L.A. Ling is deeply in love and says she married an incredible guy, but is quick to point out that with a travel schedule like hers, marriage does-n’t always come easy. “I’m very lucky to have someone who is so supportive of my career and of me because it really takes a toll.”
Looking into the future, Ling says, “I don’t know if I can continue this travel schedule forever because it really is laborious. But by the time I’m 40 I hope I will have a child, and if for some reason I miss the opportunity to have a biological kid, I’m completely,
completely ready and willing to adopt.”
When that time does come, Ling will have stories upon stories to tell. But for now she has a valuable piece of advice she hopes to pass on to younger generations.
“While it’s important to be ambitious and to have a successful career and a successful life, the best advice I can give is to be open-minded and don’t forget there are so many people in the world who might need a hand, and to be observant of that.”
Full-day registrations for the HerStory women’s conference include the Lisa Ling luncheon address, the Leslie Wilcox welcome address and a choice of two HerStory workshops. Cost for the conference is $125 for the full day or $85 for the Lisa Ling luncheon only. For more information or to register for the conference, call Junior League of Honolulu at 946-6466, e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or register online at www.juniorleagueofhonolulu.org.
The Junior League of Honolulu Inc. is an organization of women committed to developing the potential of women, promoting volunteerism, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
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