Comments on: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls

By: Anna from JA

Anna from JA — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:10:01 +0000

Obviously alot of us are unsure of what we are speaking of. First of all, females in South Africa are not given equal educational opportunities as males, so if a school is built as an effort to help an alleviate the double standard that are faced by females, why not? Who gives us the right to try and dictate what Oprah does with her money? What I realize in my everyday life is people who critical and negative. She has done so much for the American educational system, given money time and time again but no one seems to have had a problem then. But now she chooses to venture and help others, foreigners might I add, there is a widespread “riot” of her doing the right thing. I thought giving and helping others regardless of their “at home or abroad” is an act of admiration. My second address goes to statement of the young females not appreciate their poor upbringing. With this, as i will state is my opinion…as a young women born and raised in KINGSTON, JAMAICA, a third world country, the value of eductaion is much more valued as compared to Americans. I started high school at the age of 10, I had to work hard just to maintain and stay in school. When I came to the USA for college, my effort level was no where near what i put out for high school. I said all that to say this, those females growing up in Africa knows what it is not to have an opportunity like this given to them, so when one arises they will appreciate it and make the best of it they possibly can. I praise Oprah for what she is doing. She worked hard to be where she is now, nothing was given to her…so what she choose to do with her money thats her business. The question that should be asked is what is the American government, the richest country in the world, doing for their children and educational system..mind you when the budget was cut education was decreased tremendously….

But I hope we all just see the good that others are trying to doing whether it affects you directly or indirectly…

By: Ashley Hopkinson

Ashley Hopkinson — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 04:15:52 +0000

I applaud what Oprah Winfrey in doing. There are so many people with more money or equal that do not make philanthropic efforts like she is. Many nawsyaers have no idea of the vast difference between the educational system in America versus other parts of the world. Going to school in the U.S. is a cake walk if you are not self motivated the chance of becoming so is slim. I am a 21 yr old who has been on the dean’s list all 5 semesters of my collegiate life. I owe my educational discipline not just to my upbringing but to Guyana, South America where I spent half of my life. At 14 I carried a course load of 14 subjects as did all my peers. Even if you failed at my school, it took effort to make that F.

I understand Oprah’s frustration with donating to the innercity. Black Americans are living under a cloud if they believe education is valued more here and that Oprah’s 40 million would have been better spent here. This is the land of opportunity, foregin people die every day to come to America for a chance at a better life.If you work hard here, your country will not deny you!

This school will not fail. Academics is extolled in foreign countries. Everybit of money spent will be made back ten fold in the successful lives of the girls she’s hand picked.

I love America for all its given me. But the credit for educational discipline goes hands down to Guyana.

By: BIRDZILLA

BIRDZILLA — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 23:03:48 +0000

Hey i suppose they would be upset if someone read LITTLE BLACK SAMBO after all the kid was black but brave in the presents of all those tigers

By: RepJ

RepJ — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 04:46:35 +0000

Another good blog, La Shawn. I’m not a big Oprah fan, but her heart is in the right place. Plus, in this case, her brain is as well. Bravo.

By: sandy

sandy — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 19:12:17 +0000

It’s her money. But I’m also entitled to my opinion. I’m wondering why she didn’t use her great negotiating and PR skills to bring the South African Politicians to at least show their support of their children of South Africa, by doing a matching grant. And if the South African government or corporate machine didn’t want to be apart of this then she should have filmed a town hall meeting to discuss why. I don’t think her school is going to the heart of the issue: Why aren’t the children receiving a quality education and is the current form of government in South Africa supportive of the need for children to excel? Does Apartheid in education exist? and if so why? and for the parents who die of AIDS what is the south african gov’t doing? obviously nothing. So why not a town hall meeting worldwide to point out what south africa is not doing? Why do we let crooks off? Another opinion: who is going to start the school for young black men???( or will all the future leaders be young girls..something to think about)

By: LaTara

LaTara — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:01:16 +0000

Horray for Oprah! Whether or not she is liberal, conservative, democrat or republican is far from the issue for me because none of those concepts are God ordained.

What is the issue is to see a woman who clearly knows who God is from her upbringing, but is a bit confused with all the new age stuff that floats around in her neck of the woods..HOLLYWOOD, working at making this world a better place; and we who know (or rather should know), a bit more about God’s wisdom, power and purpose sit back, watch, talk about her and her money and do nothing. I see children of God fighting over who’s democrat or who’s republican, who does this or who does that.

It is sickening to see people such as Oprah accomplishing such feats and we can’t even get along within the church because we are concerned with stuff that really does not even matter.

By: absolutefem

absolutefem — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 16:22:58 +0000

It's my money and I'll spend how I want to, spend how I want to. You would spend to if it happened to you. La Shawns site was such an inspiration, I had to make my own. Isn't she so Oprah.

By: absolutefem

absolutefem — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 09:31:17 +0000

It's my money and I spend how I want to, spend how I want to. You would spend to, if it happened to you. La Shawn's site inspired me so much, I wanted my own. She is so Oprah.

By: tawanabrawley

tawanabrawley — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 05:25:49 +0000

I also asked myself that question as well. I wanted to know if there was a great distinction between the boys and the girls in Africa…and I have not seen it. Why empower the girls with education and not the boys.

Have we not learned a lesson to see how the black community here in the U.S. has been torn to pieces based on this concept? Where are the mature people with money…lol…

Why is it always naive people who have all the money to make things happen?

By: suek

suek — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:36:19 +0000

>>For you to think marriage is irrelevent is to say I donâ€™t care how many out of wedlock births there are.>>

It’s irrelevant because of the society in which they marry – education won’t make the difference, their families will. They don’t live in a country where a person is self-made, they live in a tribal country, where their family will make their marriage. What well-born family is going to marry one of their sons to the daughter of a nobody, no matter how well educated? They will be married to whomever their family dictates, and they will be thereafter barefoot and pregnant. On the other hand, they _might_ have an influence on their sons, but very few will give up the power they possess out of consideration for the uniqueness of another, even if they feel a certain amount of guilt for the oppression.

>> These young women are going to need men who are similiar to them in education, morals, background etc.>>

And where will they find them? There are no young men being educated to _want_ a woman similiar to them in education, morals, background etc.
Look at the role of women in the USA 75 years or so ago – and you’re trying to tell me that South Africa is going to be a better place for women than the USA was then? I don’t _think_ so!!!

By: Heliotrope

Heliotrope — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:25:26 +0000

Oprah dropping dough in South Africa is hardly going to put a ripple in a small pond.

She baked the cake and she troweled on plenty of icing. Why South Africa? Why girls and not boys? Why this and why that?

The point is, she does not have the Moxie to take on her own neighborhood. Again, that is her choice. But if we peons are to take any meaning from the glow of her charity………what would it be?

Maybe next time around she will give everyone in her audience an educated black South African girl to take home as a pet.

By: Veronica

Veronica — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 00:01:36 +0000

I don’t think it is irrelevent whether or not the girls marry. It is a very relevent thing for people to do. These young women are going to need men who are similiar to them in education, morals, background etc. We know this to be true by looking at the Black community. (Please note I am not saying we are the same. I am only pointing out what has happened and the parallel we may both share). The women are by and large more educated, law abiding etc than the men.

For you to think marriage is irrelevent is to say I don’t care how many out of wedlock births there are.

By: suek

suek — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 23:03:27 +0000

Oops. “rationale” and “marry”. That’s what happens when you comment while trying to do other things!

By: suek

suek — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:53:51 +0000

>>Many, understandably so, question why Oprah did not choose any boys, thus limiting a future choice for the girls.

Maybe, from Oprahâ€™s own perspective, a husband in a girlâ€™s future is not necessarily considered a requirement for success. Just a thought. >>

I’m one of those who question the choice. My rational is that whether these young women mary or not is irrelevant – they still are likely to have very little influence in a country that doesn’t value women. Better to have educated young men to value women – and perhaps become influential enough to better the situation of women in the future. Better still not to give them too much…a little hunger is a good thing.
Personally, I’d have preferred the large amount of money to have been spent on more, less lavish schools, for both boys and girls – but it’s her money, her choice. C’est la vie.

By: African American (Black) Political Pundit

African American (Black) Political Pundit — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:11:04 +0000

Check out whatÂ La Shawn has to say: Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls