Oprah Winfrey

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Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi. She was originally named "Orpah", but her family and friends didn't know how to pronounce it, and called her "Oprah" instead. She was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a single teenage mother and later raised in Milwaukee. She experienced difficult times during her childhood, raped at age nine and becoming pregnant at 14, with a boy who died shortly after. She was sent to live with the man she calls her father, a barber in Tennessee. Oprah landed a job on the radio while still in high school and began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. She became the youngest person and the first African-American woman to anchor the news at Nashville's WTVF-TV. Oprah's career choice in media would not have surprised her grandmother, who once said that ever since Oprah could talk, she was on stage. As a child she played games interviewing her corncob doll and the crows on the fence of her family's property. Winfrey later acknowledged her grandmother's influence, saying it was Hattie Mae, an American television, film and Broadway actress who had encouraged her to speak in public and gave her a positive sense of herself.

Oprah is a hero because she is very dedicated to her personal and professional life. She is passionate about spending most of her time helping others and making a difference in peoples' lives. She gives her best selflessly and doesn't expect anything in return when she does a good cause to the world. Even though she had a rough childhood she still treats everyone with respect and kindness. She teaches us to believe in ourselves and in our dreams. Like she says "the biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams."

 Oprah donates to a wide variety of charities. She encourages others to make a difference in the world. Oprah has long believed that education is the door to freedom, offering a chance at a brighter future. Through her private charity, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, has awarded hundreds of grants to organizations that support the education and empowerment of women, children and families around the world. Also, she donated millions of dollars toward providing a better education for students.  She created "The Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program," which gives scholarships to students determined to use their education to give back to their communities in the United States.

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 Last but not least, Oprah Winfrey is inspirational. She inspired so many people through her TV shows. Through the power of media, Oprah has created a deep connection with people around the world. As supervising producer and host of the top-rated, award-winning The Oprah Winfrey Show, she has entertained, enlightened and uplifted millions of viewers for the past two decades. The show reaches more than 40 million viewers a week in the United States and is licensed to 150 countries internationally. Her accomplishments as a global media leader and philanthropist have established her as one of the most respected and admired public figures today. Oprah has received prestigious awards and highest industry acknowledgments for her many accomplishments and achievements.

"Oprah Winfrey's Official Biography-Oprah.com."Oprah.comEd.2012

Harpo Productions,Inc.Web.09 May 2012

http://www.oprah.com/pressroom/Oprah-Winfreys-Official-Biography.

"Oprah Winfrey."Wikipedia.Wikipedia Foundation,05 July2012.Web.09

May 2012.http://en.wikipedia.org/wikki/OpRAH_Winfrey.