Public Radio International Teams With Noted Journalist on New Documentary Series: Against The Odds

Public Radio International Teams With Noted Journalist on New Documentary Series: Against The Odds

NEW YORK, Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 13th, a limited series of one-hour radio documentaries entitled Against The Odds will be available from Public Radio International. Hosted and produced by award-winning Newsweek columnist Ellis Cose, each program introduces individuals who have struggled against, and often triumphed over, tremendous odds. The series documents people and communities often relegated to the margins of a globalized world, aiming to stimulate thought on how they can overcome their marginalization.

The pilot show follows Abass Hassan, born in war-torn Somalia, who escaped to a refugee camp in Kenya where he spent most of his childhood. Inspired by his father's faith in the power of learning, Abass became an exceptional student, eventually achieving test scores among the highest in Kenya. His abilities caught the attention of an American professor who encouraged him to apply to Princeton University-where Abass is now in his junior year.

Future programs will cover both domestic and international subjects-such as day laborers in the U.S., the fight against female genital mutilation in Ethiopia, trading in guns for books, surviving America's foster care system and more.

Against The Odds is the creation of journalist/author/producer Ellis Cose, an acclaimed Newsweek columnist, who was raised in the Henry Horner housing projects in Chicago. "As someone who came up in one of America's worst neighborhoods and watched many of my childhood friends destroyed by the streets," he states, "I have always been fascinated with issues of social and educational mobility-with why some of us succeed and others do not." Cose began his journalism career as a weekly columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, becoming, at the age of 19, the youngest editorial page columnist ever employed by a major Chicago daily.

His career also includes work as:

-- editorial page editor and chairman of the editorial board, New York
Daily News
-- president and chief executive officer of the Institute for Journalism
Education
-- press critic for Time magazine
-- chief writer on management and workplace issues for USA Today
-- member of the editorial board of the Detroit Free Press
-- fellow at the Gannett Center for Media Studies at Columbia University
fellow at the National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences
-- senior fellow and director of energy policy studies at the
Washington-based Joint Center for Political Studies
-- commentator on several NPR shows, including All Things Considered and
Morning Edition

Cose's numerous journalism awards include:

-- the University of Missouri medal for career excellence and
distinguished service in journalism
-- two Clarion awards
-- four National Association of Black Journalists first place awards
-- the New York Association of Black Journalists' lifetime achievement
award
-- a first-place award from the Society of Professional Journalists

More information on Against The Odds is available online at:

-- http://www.pri.org/

-- http://www.elliscose.com/

-- http://www.againsttheodds.newsweek.com/

-- http://www.creativepr.org/

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Public Radio International

CONTACT: Mark Bramhall of Creative PR, 1-888-233-5650,
mark@creativepr.org, for Public Radio International

Web site: http://www.elliscose.com/
http://www.againsttheodds.newsweek.com/
http://www.creativepr.org/
http://www.pri.org/

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