A Speakers Series Luncheon with KTLA 5
KTLA News Anchor & UNICEF Supporter, Megan Henderson and KTLA Vice President & News Director, Jason Ball shared stories from their recent UNICEF field visits.
On May 8, 2019, UNICEF USA hosted KTLA News Anchor & UNICEF Supporter, Megan Henderson in conversation with KTLA Vice President & News Director, Jason Ball, to share stories from their UNICEF field visits to Kenya, Guatemala, Mexico and Vietnam. In celebration of Mother’s Day, the program centered on UNICEF’s work to empower women and educate girls.
Figure 1. Amber Hill invites the audience to support House Bill H.Res189.
To kick off the event, Amber Hill, UNICEF USA Southern California Regional Managing Director, called the room to action by encouraging the audience to text their support for U.S. House Bill H.Res189. If passed, the bill will accelerate the United States government’s efforts to combat maternal and child malnutrition around the world, a humanitarian challenge that Megan and Jason experienced firsthand during their UNICEF field visits.
Figure 2. Megan Henderson speaks about her UNICEF field visits.
“Food, water and electricity…they are just some of the things that many of us take for granted, but that so many children around the world still need,” explained Megan. In Guatemala, Megan met families living below the poverty line, as more than half of families in Guatemala do. “Makeshift walls…no running water or electricity…this is a typical family home.” She and Jason highlighted UNICEF’s efforts to tackle Guatemala’s ‘invisible crisis’ – malnutrition – by ensuring that children receive nutritional support during their first 1,000 days of life, an extremely critical and unique development period when children’s brains undergo rapid growth. “They [UNICEF] find the need and they fix the problem,” affirmed Jason.
Figure 3. The audience is enthralled by video and stories shared by Jason Ball and Megan Henderson.
A lively Q&A session with the audience followed Megan and Jason’s presentation. Jason expressed the important role that prominent media outlets like KTLA play in spreading awareness of global challenges facing children and Megan emphasized the effectiveness of advocating for children by powerful storytelling that moves viewers to action.
Figure 4. (from left) UNICEF USA Regional Board Member, Gary Yale, Amber Hill, and Speaker Series Committee Chair, Cindee Rood.
To learn more about activities in the Southern California Region in support of UNICEF, please email us at LosAngeles@unicefusa.org.
