Isha Sesay

Isha Sesay
Nima Elbagir (in blue) and Isha Sesay (in black) accept the Peabody Award, May 2015
Born Isha Isatu Sesay
(1976-01-06) 6 January 1976
Bordeaux, France
Education English
Alma mater Trinity College, Cambridge
Occupation News presenter journalist
Years active 1998–present
Notable credit(s) HLN CNN CNN International Sky Sports News ITN BBC W.E. Can Lead
Relatives Kadi Sesay (mother)
Website Isha Sesay on Twitter

Isha Isatu Sesay (/ˌaɪʃə səˈseɪ/;  Isha Sesay ; born January 6, 1976) is a British journalist of Sierra Leonean descent. Since 2005 she has worked as an anchor and correspondent for CNN International. Originally based at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and now based in Los Angeles, in the United States, she hosts the news programs CNN Newsroom Live from Los Angeles. In addition, she was the presenter of the 360 Bulletin on Anderson Cooper 360°. In 2012 Sesay also joined HLN as a co-anchor for Evening Express. She left CNN in 2018 to support a girls education project called W.E. Can Lead for African girls and follow different other personal projects.[1]

Youth and education

Born in France in 1976 to Temne parents from Sierra Leone, Sesay returned with them at the age of seven to their homeland. Raised in their Muslim faith, she lived in Sierra Leone for most of her childhood. She is one of three children, with an older sister and a younger brother. Her mother is Dr Kadi Sesay, a former lecturer at Fourah Bay College. Dr. Sesay in 1992 was appointed as an advisor to the government of Valentine Strasser. Her father worked as a legal advisor to the SLPMB (Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Board); he died in 1988.

Sesay studied at the private Fourah Bay College School in Freetown. At the age of 16, in 1992 she moved to the UK for further study and college. After completing her A-levels, she was accepted into Trinity College, Cambridge, where she read English. She worked as a waitress in a bar while studying.[2] She decided to become a television journalist, having previously aspired to become an actress. During her final year, she began writing to media groups seeking work.

Career

Post college

After graduating, Sesay began her television career as a researcher for the BBC talk show Kilroy, initially as an unpaid intern. She later was hired as a full-time paid employee. In 1998 she moved to Glasgow to work for BBC Scotland, and, after a period behind the camera, got her first job as a TV announcer on BBC Choice.[3] She went on to present a variety of programmes for the BBC, CNN and TWI, before joining Sky in March 2002.[4]

Sky

At Sky, Sesay spent over three years as an anchor on Good Morning Sports Fans for Sky Sports News.[5] She considers the high points of this period to be meeting former boxer Michael Watson,[6] interviewing Ellen MacArthur, and travelling with members of the Arsenal football team following an exhibition match at Reebok Stadium in support of Nwankwo Kanu's heart foundation.[4] She later moved to ITN, where she anchored the ITV Morning News programme, and was also a newsreader on breakfast programme GMTV.[5]

CNN

In November 2005, Sesay became a news anchor and correspondent at CNN International, based at the network's global headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. She travelled to Nigeria in April 2007 to cover that country's presidential election, where she conducted one-on-one interviews with both outgoing president Olusegun Obasanjo, and the newly elected president Umaru Yar'Adua. Later that year, she was in South Africa to cover the launch of the Global Elders.[5]

International Desk

In 2009, Sesay became the host of the first edition of the weekday news program International Desk.

BackStory

In 2011, she swapped roles with Michael Holmes, and was assigned as the presenter of BackStory.

CNN NewsCenter

On 16 April 2012, BackStory was changed to a weekend-only show. Sesay was assigned as the anchor of a new show, CNN NewsCenter.

In addition to her duties as anchor on CNN International, Sesay contributes to Anderson Cooper 360° on CNN as presenter of the 360 Bulletin, a position she has held since 17 January 2011. The following year, she also took up the role of presenter on Evening Express on HLN.[7] She is currently based in Los Angeles, United States.[8]

Leaving CNN

On 2 August 2018 Isha Sesay announced that she was leaving CNN after 13 years. She cited the media's focus on United States President Donald Trump as a reason for her decision.[9][10] Sesay announced that she will be writing a book about the abduction of Chibok girls, and that she plans to continue her engagement with African issues.[9][1]

W.E. Can Lead

W.E. Can Lead
Established 2014 (2014)
Legal status Active
Headquarters Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Staff
Sharon Debary, Natalie Au, Robin Cutshaw, Stacey Brice Washington, William Asiko, Judithe Registre, Iris Kargbo, Rosaline Kargbo, Haja Koroma[11]
Website we-canlead.org
External video
Isha Sesay (May 14, 2016). "Isha Sesay on the vision behind W.E. Can Lead". Isha Sesay. Retrieved September 20, 2018.

In 2014 Sesay launched W.E. Can Lead (Women Everywhere Can Lead), an educational, humanitarian 501(c)3, non-profit organization.[1][12] It was created to support African girls in receiving educational support to become future leaders. In August 2018, the program was mostly working with Nigerian girls, but it is open for girls from everywhere in Africa.[13][14]

It is a two-tiered program comprising a base and a specialisation phase. After one year in which the girls learn basic skills like financial literacy, critical thinking and good health practices as well how to build self-esteem and self-awareness, they can apply to take part in the Young Leader development program. Those who do not gain a place may attend annual empowerment camps and an inspirational speakers series.[15] The attendees receive financial support to cover tuition, uniforms and other supplies.[11] In August 2018 there were more than 600 girls from ages 12 to 18 participating in the program.[1]

In January 2017 actor Idris Elba auctioned a date with him to raise money for W.E. Can Lead.[16]

Personal life

Sesay was married to Leif Coorlim, a CNN staffer.[17] The couple is divorced.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Lea Rose Emery (2018-08-01). "Isha Sesay Is Taking The Lead". www.whatwesee.com (in Englisch). Retrieved 2018-08-04.
  2. ↑ Adeline Iziren (2003-11-22). "Isha Sesay worked as a waitress in a bar while studying English at Trinity College, Cambridge. But what does she do now?". www.theguardian.com. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  3. ↑ Benjamin, Chantal, "Isha Sesay: A star is torn", Mano Vision, 2000. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  4. 1 2 "Presenter Profiles – Isha Sesay" Sky Sports, 19 July 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2008. Archived 25 April 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. 1 2 3 "Anchors & Reporters – Isha Sesay" CNN. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  6. ↑ "Presenter, Sky Sports – Isha Sesay" Sky UK Archived 18 May 2007.
  7. ↑ "Evening Express", The Hollywood Reporter.
  8. ↑
  9. 1 2 philma (2018-08-04). "Isha Sesay leaves CNN after 13 years, cites Trump-focused coverage as reason". www.howafrica.com. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  10. ↑ NAW (2018-08-05). "Isha Sesay: 'Why I quit CNN'". www.nawmagazine.com. Retrieved 2018-09-15.
  11. 1 2 "W.E. can lead About us". www.we-canlead.org. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
  12. ↑ "W.E. can lead Founder". www.we-canlead.org. 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2018-08-09.
  13. ↑ "Isha Sesay's girls educational non-profit program W.E. can lead". www.we-canlead.org. 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2018-08-04.
  14. ↑ "W.E. (Women Everywhere) Can Lead". www.segalfamilyfoundation.org. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
  15. ↑ "W.E. can lead goals". www.we-canlead.org. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
  16. ↑ Lin Taylor (2017-01-12). "'Sweetheart' British actor Idris Elba auctions Valentine's date for charity". www.reuters.com. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  17. ↑ Ernest Dela Aglanu, "CNN’s Isha Sesay engaged, set to marry soon" Archived 17 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine., 'My Joy Online', 10 January 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
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