2012 STARS Hall of Fame

Laura Ling

Journalist • Author • Human Rights Advocate
Rio Americano HS

Laura Ling is an award-winning journalist, author, and documentary storyteller whose work has brought global attention to human rights and social justice issues. A Rio Americano High School graduate, Laura has reported from dozens of countries, covering internet censorship in China, slave labor in the Amazon, women’s rights in Turkey, and Mexico’s drug war.

As Vice President of Journalism at Current TV, she created and led the acclaimed Vanguard documentary series, earning honors including the Alfred I. duPont Award and multiple Emmy nominations.

In 2009, while reporting on the trafficking of North Korean women, Laura was detained and held in North Korea for 140 days—an experience she later recounted in the memoir Somewhere Inside, co-authored with her sister Lisa Ling. Since her release, she has continued to shine a light on the plight of trafficked women and imprisoned journalists around the world.

Laura’s reporting has appeared on ABC, NBC, PBS, and MTV, where she has consistently used her platform to amplify underrepresented voices and uncover truths that matter.