Soledad O’Brien: A woman of many backgroundsPosted in Articles, Biography, Media Archive, United States on 2012-12-26 16:01Z by Steven |
Soledad O’Brien: A woman of many backgrounds
Irish Voice
2009-07-22
Cahir O’Doherty, Arts Editor and Feature Writer
Maria de la Soledad Teresa O’Brien’s name is like a bridge across cultures. In Spanish her full name means “The Blessed Virgin Mary of Solitude,” and when she first started working in the media many people quietly suggested she change it.
She refused. Pride in her cross-cultural heritage demanded that she be true to herself. Growing up on the North Shore of Long Island, she had always been Soledad O’Brien, she saw no reason to alter the fact.
“As much as my name is unusual, it aptly describes everything I am,” O’Brien, 42, told the Irish Voice. “I’m a light skinned black girl with fuzzy hair who’s got freckles.
“I think my full name kind of references that all in. I just didn’t want to lose that, and so I really held onto the name.”…
Read the entire article here.