Oprah Winfrey

"I really believe when you give to other people, you give to yourself," quotes Oprah Winfrey. Oprah is a hero to many people throughout the world. She is a 58 year old African-American woman who has changed and saved many people's lives, even through all her own struggles in her life. Oprah is a deserving hero because she is inspirational, charitable, and a role model for many women.

One reason why Oprah Winfrey is a deserving hero is because she is inspirational. "I am where I am because of the bridges that I crossed," quotes Oprah Winfrey. She influences people to always try and achieve their dreams even though it may be difficult. She was one of "America's 25 most influential people in 1996," according to Time Magazine.  Oprah has inspired all age groups with her academics and education. Throughout her childhood, she had a miserable school life due to her family hardships. She still stayed a good, hard-working student. Winfrey has showed people that even when times get rough, you should still follow your dreams and aim to achieve your goals.

Oprah was born on January 29, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi on an isolated farm.  When she was born, her name was originally "Orpah," but was often mispronounced so she eventually became known as "Oprah."  At the young age of 14, she gave birth to a baby boy. The boy died two weeks later, because of premature birth. She graduated from Tennessee State University with a bachelor's degree in Speech and Performing Arts. Oprah was a very successful woman with many goals and dreams she wanted to achieve. Winfrey has done different charity events, fundraisers and many more to help other people around the world.

The second reason she is a deserving hero is because she is charitable. "I don't think of myself as a poor, deprived ghetto girl who made good. I think of myself as somebody who from an early age knew I was responsible for myself, and I had to make good," quotes Oprah Winfrey.  She has always sought to help others. Oprah has made a significant impact on people nationwide and donates more money to charity than any other show business celebrity. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century. The three charities and organizations that most of Oprah's money goes to is the Angel Network, The Oprah Winfrey Foundation, and The Oprah Winfrey Operating Foundation. She has also used her talk show to publicize these organizations.

The third reason why she is a deserving hero is because she is a role model to many women. She was sexually abused by a teenage cousin, her uncle, and a family friend. After all of this, she still went to school, graduated, got a scholarship and is now a well-known female celebrity. She was always someone who people would look up to and appreciate because of all that she has been through. Oprah has also done many projects and fundraisers to help girls including The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. She built this high school, aiming to discover, teach and inspire young South African girls to become a new generation of leaders. This is just one of many schools Oprah is hoping build in struggling communities on every continent.

"The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work," quoted Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey always gives to other people and thinks about others just as much, or maybe more, than she thinks about herself. She is very caring, giving and kind to everyone while still showing intelligence. Oprah Winfrey is always giving her time and effort to help others. She has been a role model to me because she has inspired me to follow my dreams and to care about not only myself, but others too.  Oprah has truly made an enormous impact on not only my life, but many other peoples life around the world.  She is a hero to many people around the world because she is inspirational, charitable, and a role model to all women.

Works Consulted

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"Oprah.com." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2011. Gale  Student Resources in Context.

"Oprah Winfrey." Contemporary Black Biography. Vol. 61. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 

Gale Biography In Context. Web. 8 May 2012.

Wayne R. Reynolds. Oprah Winfrey Biography. 2011. American Academy of Achievement. 19 May 2012 "http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/win  0bio-1."

 "Winfrey, Oprah Gail (1954-)." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 9 May 2012.