Soledad O'Brien

Soledad O'Brien is a multiple award-winning journalist and anchor for CNN's special investigations unit. She's covered everything from Hurricane Katrina and the South Asian tsunami to the London terrorist attacks and the war in Iraq. She also covers political news as part of CNN's "Best Political Team on Television."

As host of such critically acclaimed documentaries as "Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door," a report on religious freedom protections, "Don't Fail Me: Education in America," "Black in America" and "Latino in America," she covers topics that affect millions of Americans. Her important work has garnered many humanitarian awards and top journalism honors.

In 2009, she received the Medallion of Excellence for Leadership and Community Service Award from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. A member of the National Association of Black Journalists, she was named Journalist of the Year in 2010, the same year she released her memoir, The Next Big Story: My Journey Through the Land of Possibilities. Considered one of the best books of 2010, it chronicles her biggest moments as a journalist, and how her upbringing affects her work.

Before joining CNN, O'Brien anchored NBC's Weekend Today show. A Harvard graduate, she started her career at an NBC affiliate in Boston. 

—Adapted from the original event program distributed at Soledad O'Brien's LBJ Distinguished Lecture