Home » Oprah: The 'Jill' of all trades

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Oprah: The 'Jill' of all trades
By: Frasier Johnson

We all know who Oprah Winfrey is and, as a matter of fact, one does not even have to say her last name to identify her. Making an average of $260 million per year, this media marvel is not only the wealthiest of celebrities, but is amongst the most powerful women in America.

Oprah is not only a talk show mogul, but she is an actress, a radio personality, an educator, and a charity activist. Being the richest African American woman of the last century, she built a $40 million school in South Africa in order to educate girls from poverty-stricken families. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy has started with 150 students and hopes to soon expand to 450 students. On her show, she consistently refers to the girls within the school as her 'daughters' just as they refer to her as their mother.

Oprah is hard-core into the empowerment of women and of children by helping them further their education and increasing opportunities for those communities that do not have the resources to create ample opportunity for their young people. With Oprah's work in South Africa, she is hoping to provide a better quality education than what these girls would receive in regular public school.

It is through these higher education standards that Oprah hopes to create skilled women who can contribute to a flailing economy that is short on skilled workers.

For those who have dreams of becoming famous, Oprah is most definitely a wonderful example of a ?rags to riches" story. Growing up in Mississippi and being a survivor of abuse and of the trials and tribulations that come with finding success, she has proven that it is possible to use your talents to not only make yourself famous, but to help others find a way to a better life.