If you get your news from CNN, the name Isha Sesay is one you probably know well. For more than a decade, Sesay worked as an anchor on the network where she covered countless stories and events. Throughout her career with CNN she worked on several programs and became well-known and well-respected. In the summer of 2018, Sesay parted ways with the company and began to focus on other endeavors. Since then, she has been working on some pretty cool things and it looks like this next chapter is going to be eventful. Even if you’ve seen her on TV hundreds of times, there still a lot you can learn about the talented former anchor. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Isha Sesay.
1. Her Family Is From Sierra Leone
Both of Isha Sesay’s parents are from the African country of Sierra Leone. Located in West Africa, Sierra Leone is best-known for its diamond mines. Although Isha was not born in Sierra Leone, she moved there at a young age and spent most of her childhood in the country.
2. She’s Written A Book
Isha Sesay can officially add author to her long list of accomplishments. In September 2019, she released her highly anticipated book Beneath the Tamarind Tree. The nonfiction work tells the story of the 2014 kidnapping of 276 female students who were taken from a school in Nigeria. Sesay’s work received praise from readers all over the world and she hopes the book will raise awareness of this tragic event. As of 2020, there are still over 100 students missing from this incident.
3. She’s Divorced
Isha Sesay and her longtime boyfriend, Leif Coorlim, tied the knot in 2013. The couple had a gorgeous ceremony which Sesay referred to as “magical“. When describing the wedding, Sessay said “our day exceeded my wildest dreams. It was magical. When I saw Leif standing at the end of the aisle, I felt as if my heart would explode. I married the man of my dreams in front of the people we care about the most.” Unfortunately, the magic didn’t last and the couple divorced just a few years later.
4. She Was Raised In The Islamic Faith
Like more than half of the people in Sierra Leone, Isha Sesay was raised as a Muslim. However, it’s unclear if she still practices the Islamic faith today. Ironically, there was a petition floating around in 2015 to have Sesay removed from her role at CNN because many viewers believed she and another anchor inappropriately blamed French Muslims for not preventing terrorist attacks in Paris.
5. She Runs A Non-Profit
When Isha left CNN, she decided to use her time to focus on her personal passions. She started a nonprofit organization called We Can Lead which is focused on helping girls in Sierra Leone and other parts of Africa. The organization has several initiatives to help empower and educate young women to prepare them for the future.
6. She Was Born in London
Isha Sesay may have spent most of her childhood in Sierra Leone, but she was actually born in London. When she was 16, she returned to the UK to further her education. She went on to attend Trinity College where she studied English. While in school, she worked as a waitress to make ends meet.
7. She Left CNN For An Interesting Reason
When Isha Sesay announced that she would be leaving CNN, many people were surprised by her reason. To put it simply, Sesay decided to walk away from her job with the popular network because she was tired of all the majority of news coverage being centered around President Trump. She also added that she wanted to focus on bigger picture issues and have more control over the things she reported on.
8. She Doesn’t Have Any Children
Despite her long relationship with Leif Coorlim and their brief marriage, Isha Sesay does not have any children. Isha hasn’t stated whether or not she wants to have kids in the future. But there’s no doubt that her busy career has probably made it difficult to put things on pause and focus on raising a family.
9. Her Mother Is Well-Known In Politics
Isha isn’t the only person in her family who is passionate about the world around her. Kadi Sesay, Isha’s mother, is a politician in Sierra Leone who was the head of the National Commission for Democracy and Human Rights. She is also the first woman in the country to lead a national commission.
10. She Cares About The Next Generation
Since leaving CNN, Isha Sesay has been heavily focused on working with young women and giving them the tools they need to succeed. She cares deeply about making sure the next generation is able to create a bright future for themselves and those around them.
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