conversations
What’s in a conversation? It’s the beginning of new ideas. A sharing of personal stories.
A start of meaningful relationships. This Pulse section called Conversations
highlights opinions, ideas, visions and personal anecdotes of CEOs and leaders from across industries.
Join the conversation. Send your questions and suggestions on leaders you’d like Pulse to profile.
B Y M A E M A Ñ AC A P - J O H N S O N
LISA
LING
J
ournalist and Oprah Winfrey Network’s (OWN) Our America host Lisa
Ling has traveled around the U.S. and the world, giving people a voice
to tell their story. She has covered stories from each side of the
spectrum—those that celebrate life and those that define tragedy.
But Ling, who is also one of this year’s ISPA Conference & Expo keynote
speakers, has also lived some of the stories she told, including the loss of a
child and the fear of losing a sister who was once captured in North Korea. But
through it all, she remained positive.
In this Pulse Conversations, Ling talks about her fantasy to temporarily walk
in the diplomatic shoes of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, her three most
inspiring places, and why she continues to do what she does best: tell stories.
PULSE: What is it about
storytelling that inspires you
most?
Ling: I love to get immersed in worlds that are different from
mine. I derive pleasure from trying to share those stories with
a broader audience.
P: As a journalist, you have covered stories that were
tragic, controversial and unsettling, like the gang rape
in Congo, bride burning in India, the massacre in
Virginia, to name a few. In what way have these stories
changed you?
L: Many of the stories that I’ve covered continue to live in
my head—some have scarred me. Given the things I’ve seen,
I’ve become a much more appreciative person. It takes a lot
to rattle me.
22 PULSE
■
August 2012
P: You have had your share of difficult times, including
your miscarriage which inspired you to start
SecretSocietyofWomen.com—an online community and
support for women who have experienced a loss of a child
through miscarriage— and during your sister’s captivity
in North Korea. Where do you draw strength from?
L: I draw strength from other people. No matter what hardship I have been dealt, someone has had it worse. When my
sister was in captivity, I truly came to rely on people—some
of whom I didn’t even know, to get me through. The simple
tweets or messages of support that people posted on
Facebook really meant a great deal to me.
P: Who’s your idea of a great, no-holds-bar interview?
L: I would like to sit down with the United States President
Barack Obama.