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Maya Angelou

by Ashira from Brooklyn

You don't need to be super strong, have the ability to fly, or wear a bright colored suite to be a hero. Being a hero is about affecting the world in a positive way, going out of your way to overcome obstacles to achieve/accomplish his or her goals. A hero can be anyone. The hero I choose is Maya Angelou. I chose Maya Angelou because she is a determined woman who persevered through the hardships she faced to reach her goals, she is a respected woman in black culture and I admire her for that.

In her life Maya Angelou has accomplished so much which add on to the reasons why I admire her. Firstly, she was the first African American woman to work on a street car in San Fransisco when she was still in her teens (www.achievement.org). This is a great accomplishment because she overcame the racism she was experiencing. Also, she became a published author and poet even after she dropping out of high school (www.achievement.org). Lastly, she has produced many movies because of the fame she received after becoming a well-known author and poet (www.achievement.org).

Maya Angelou is a respected woman in black culture and there are many reasons for that. She was an active leader during the civil rights movement and "helped Malcolm X build his new organization of African American Unity" (mayaangelou.com/bio) .She also wrote screenplays, actually "her screenplay, the first by an African American woman ever to be filmed was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize" (www.achievement. rg). She has also helped to positively portray black culture in her poetry and literacy.

Maya Angelou has impacted and influenced many authors, poets, and average people of today. Due to Maya's writing about rights as an African American, and living in a world of different races and backgrounds that we all deserve to be equal, "this is where we get our cultural rainbow of colors that greatly enhance the world we live in"(www.examiner.com) Through Maya's writing she has inspired others to find their voices like she found her, "By holding on, even amid cruelty and loss, and then expanding to sense of compassion, an ability to love-by holding on to her humanity -she has inspired countless others who have known injustice and misfortune in their own lives."

Maya Angelou can express her feelings and opinions not only using her voice, she can use her words. Those words are now being taught in schools all around the world, her words are helping to shape the young minds of future generations. She was presented the Medal of Freedom for a reason. She has shown the world how to free their thoughts and beliefs through the power of words. That is why Maya Angelou is my hero.

Page created on 3/25/2013 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 3/25/2013 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.