On Tuesday, March 25, CNN reporter Betty Nguyen will be the guest speaker at the 26th annual Freedom of Information Congress. Her arrival commemorates the end of Sunshine Week, which stresses the importance of open government and free information. The reception begins at 6:30 p.m., and Nguyen's speech will start at 7:30 p.m. in Rose Theatre.
Nguyen is the first Vietnamese-American national news anchor. Her career began as a morning anchor and reporter in Waco, Texas, before moving to Dallas, where she worked at their CBS affiliate and covered a number of major news events ranging from the Space Shuttle Columbia explosion to the Sept. 11 attacks. She received the Legacy of Women Award, was named a Great Women of Texas Honoree and won an Emmy for "Outstanding Noon Newscast" in 2003.
After joining the CNN network in April of 2004, Nguyen's career has placed her in many places around the world. During her time at CNN, she has covered Hurricane Katrina victims who were desperate for shelter in Houston, the devastation taking place in South Asia during the tsunami, the Iraqi elections and four Floridian hurricanes.
Last year, Nguyen was featured in the Smithsonian Institute's exhibit "Exit Saigon, Enter Little Saigon: Vietnamese America since 1975," which highlighted and honored the changes and challenges of the culture. She is cofounder of Help the Hungry, an organization that started in 2000, providing aid such as food, water, homes and medicines to impoverished families around the globe. Because of her humanitarian work, she was placed in the Philanthropy in Texas Hall of Fame.
Students are encouraged to come to both the reception and the speech. Some teachers are offering extra credit for attendance. For more information, contact Joe Hayden at jhayden@memphis.edu.
