CNN anchor Abby Phillip, whose roots trace back to Trinidad and Tobago, took center stage at the 23rd Eric E. Williams Memorial Lecture held at The University of Texas, Austin, recently.
Addressing an audience of roughly 250—both in person and online—Phillip delivered a thought-provoking keynote titled “Journalism in Challenging Times,” tackling the shifting landscape of media and the role of journalists in an era of deep polarization.
The lecture explored the importance of grounding journalism in facts and inclusivity, even when engaging with opposing viewpoints. “Journalism in Challenging Times” ably displayed Phillip’s masterful navigation of her craft, and emphasized particularly the need to not only have all voices heard, especially those with whom we are at odds, but also to focus on the facts, where too much of social media today traffics in the alternative.
Abby Phillip drew powerful connections between her own journalistic mission and the legacy of Eric Williams, the late Trinidad and Tobago statesman and scholar whose public lectures at the “University of Woodford Square” in the 1950s helped educate a population often limited to primary-level schooling. Wading into what she deemed as the obligation to “tell our story” with courage and clarity, Phillip recalled how Williams “endeavored to teach the Trinidad and Tobago populace… ‘what one French writer of the 18th century saw as the greatest danger, that they have a mind!’”
Speaking candidly, Phillip also shared her own upbringing—partly in Trinidad and Tobago—and credited Williams’ pioneering education policies for enabling both her parents, and by extension their children, to pursue limitless ambitions. “Williams’ policies with regard to free secondary and tertiary education made both her parents and, by extension, their children believe anything was possible, that there were few constraints on an individual’s desire to achieve,” she said.
Known for her firm yet respectful moderating style, Phillip likened the tone of her show to a classroom. “She often feels like a school teacher having to admonish unruly children,” the audience heard, adding that she imposes ground rules and uses phrases like “Stop talking” to restore order when guests interrupt one another. Despite the divisiveness that can unfold on air, Phillip noted that many guests leave the studio bonding over family or light-hearted topics—a testament to the power of respectful dialogue.
The evening concluded with a vibrant Q&A session. Phillip fielded questions on evolving media technology and the urgency for traditional news to keep pace with Gen Z’s digital habits. She admitted to honing her own TikTok skills in an effort to bridge that gap. In a standout moment, Eric Williams’ 15-year-old granddaughter asked how she could use social media to better her community. Phillip advised, “seek truth, check for relevant information and dependable sources, and… think before posting.”
The lecture series, now hosted by the John L. Warfield Center for African and African American Studies at UT Austin, honors the enduring legacy of Eric Williams—Caribbean scholar, historian, and Trinidad and Tobago’s first Prime Minister.
