JOCELYN FORD - FILMMAKER • JOURNALIST• EDUCATOR

When she was a cub reporter for Japan's largest news agency in the 1980s, Jocelyn Ford noted she lacked the ambition of other young reporters who were hell-bent on climbing the career ladder. It would take years for Jocelyn to realize her lack of traditional ambition helped catapult her to many firsts, and supercharged a much more personally satisfying life trajectory.

During her nearly four decades in East Asia, Jocelyn has opened two news bureaus for U.S. public radio's biggest business show Marketplace, first in Tokyo later in Beijing. In Japan, as the first foreigner in the Prime Minister's press corps, Jocelyn's reporting was the catalyst for headlines about the abuses of World War II "comfort girls," which at the time were largely ignored by media and history books alike. In China, the U.S.-born journalist became the first foreigner to create and co-host a live news show for China Radio International, and later directed and produced the first documentary film to probe misogyny and ethnic discrimination experienced by an ordinary Tibetan, a widowed mom.

The documentary, the award-winning 2014 film NOWHERE TO CALL HOME: A TIBETAN IN BEIJING​premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in New York to sold-out audiences, and has been translated into 11 languages. Over her distinguished career Jocelyn has garnered numerous awards, including the prestigious Japan Prize for educational documentaries, presided over by Japan's crown prince, and Overseas Press Club and National Press Club Awards in the U.S.

Over dinner, Jocelyn will share her story of the challenges and joys of simply (or not so simply) following one's passion, starting when she was a teenager in her parents' kitchen proudly declaring herself to be a humanist not a feminist. (She eventually "got" the need for feminism after entering the work force in Japan, and finding her proposals for writing about women's issues were systematically curtailed by her (male) editors.) Recently appointed as an honorary professor at a Chinese university, Jocelyn is now focusing on alerting privileged members of society-- who typically regard themselves as standard bearers of the "norm"-- that instead of expecting outliers to conform to their ways, it's time for THEM to adapt and make room for others.

Come listen to Jocelyn's story, learn about her work, and watch some of her film clips!

For Jocelyn's full bio, please click the speaker bio tab below. For more information regarding the film NO WHERE TO CALL HOME: A TIBETAN IN BEIJING, please visit http://tibetaninbeijing.com and http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/movies/nowhere-to-call-home-examines-prejudices.html?_r=1​

Please kindly note that spotlight dinners are women-only events. And since all proceeds from our ticket sales go straight to supporting our Bethel China, our charity of the year, all tickets are nonrefundable and nonexchangeable. But we would like to give you be a big thank you for supporting Bethel China and their work in caring for and educating abandoned children that are blind or visually impaired.

If you haven't already been added into the BWN Wechat Groups, please add WeChat: ledo3454 and asked to be added in.