FINAL COPY

     Jackie Robinson and Michaela DePrince represent similarities and differences in the areas of ambition/life and racism. A black young-adult woman has been through a lot and had one day found ballet being her true talent. Both, African American and Sierra-Leonean American, talented people surprised the world with their talent and their dedication. The world has seen many great athletes, but not until the first African-American baseball player, Jackie Robinson had played in the 1940s and Michaela DePrince had struggles in her life but still made it out as a talented ballerina. Two great and talented athletes go through somewhat of the same adversity. What would African Americans do if there was not such brave people like these two colored-Americans?

   Jackie Robinson and Michaela DePrince have been through racism and had endured in all of the racist comments and actions that has been never forgotten by two of these people. African-American Jackie Robinson had been through racism in the past. He has been through ups and down, had to endure whites treating him so gruesome; and abominable. No person in the baseball field was as fast, made an extraordinary amount of home runs, and no one had bigger dreams than Jackie did. He grew up in a poor family with his mother taking care of only five children, alone. Jackie had to live about half of his baseball with people discriminating him and trying to make him give up on baseball—he had not given up on what he loved the most, which was baseball. When the whites tried to put him down, he only got better. Robinson made a big change in baseball, being the first African American to pick up a baseball bat on a baseball field. "I want a player with guts and not a player who wants to fight!"— Rickey. While on the other hand, Michaela DePrince, a Sierra-Leonean American girl, had been interested in ballet ever since she had seen that magazine hanging on the fence. She had picked up the piece of paper and from that day the beautiful ballet in the picture had absorbed her interest in ballet. Because she had a condition that would turn parts of her skin white called, vitiligo, she had been always last to get food or clothing. The orphanage workers would refer to her as "the Devil's child." When a couple finally wanted to adopt Michaela, the orphanage workers insisted that no family wanted her, but they proved them wrong by adopting Michaela and her best friend/stepsister, Mia. Immediately, Michaela was signed up for ballet. She would practice six to ten hours a day practicing, sometimes seven times a week.  She would have joined other white kids in the Swan Lake, but they said that it'll be strange to have a "black" girl to perform with the other students. One studio even said to her mother that they "wouldn't waste money investing money in" or "America's not ready for a black ballerina dancer." However, she intends on opening a dancing school in Sierra-Leone.

Michaela and Jackie both have strong-willed ambitions to go after and have released their talent for the world to see. They both have big ambitions to go for and are willing to make it come true. Both have been successful in their occupation. Michaela being able to be on the show, "Dancing with the Stars," and Jackie being able to win championships for the team, break world records and become a professional African-American baseball player. As Michaela was physically and mentally abused because of her condition she has that turns parts of her skin white, Jackie Robinson was physically and mentally abused because of the color of his skin. According to the articles read, Jackie Robinson had won many championships from baseball because of his incredible and magnificent talent to play baseball. Michaela DePrince had gotten a scholarship to college, knowing that all the hard practicing she has done paid up because it ended up getting her a scholarship. Finally, because of their confidence/bravery they were able to make it successful in their career. The universe has experienced watching many great athletes, but not until the first African-American baseball player, Jackie Robinson had played in the 1940s and Michaela DePrince has hardships in her life, but still made it out as an expert at ballet. Two great and talented athletes go through somewhat of the same adversity. What would African Americans do if there was not such brave people like these two colored-Americans? 

Jackie Robinson and Michaela DePrince had supportive people who looked beyond their color and found what they were best at—their talent. It was surprising to have these two people, at young ages to experience racism and hardships. That the world had no better assumptions about blacks and found them to be without talent or spunk. They never let that stop them from reaching their goals because today alive or dead, they had reached more than the goal they had thought of reaching. The people who tried to put them done as weaklings ended up having to think twice because it only made them stronger, today, tomorrow and forever more. Therefore, even though those with egos try to put you down, you always have to build that kind of self-esteem to be better than them and to show them that you are not worth being put down because you know how talented you are. Despite the color of you skin, your gender, your religion, and your personality, being you is what makes you who you are today. "Success is getting up one more time than you fall down." Unknown Author