Oprah Winfrey: The Queen of Hearts

Ankita Shukla

“It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.” This is what symbolises Oprah Winfrey, America’s most successful Afro-American woman of today. A true woman of substance, loved by millions, a role model for many, a sufferer and a pacifier in the same life, Oprah is a spot on example of what happens when your dreams drive you to a path unclaimed, uncertain and unpredictable. A path where one just concentrates on the beaming light that can be seen at a distance, disregarding the difficulties that may follow in treading the path. Known throughout the world as Oprah, the talk show host, there is a lot more to this woman than the just talk show. Hers is a story of unwavering focus and unrelenting determination. Her Life Story

So who is Oprah? An educator who educates a devoted audience about subjects as varied as sexual abuse, divorce, children`s issues, and countless other important subjects; a close pal who visits over 20 million homes everyday. This is Oprah, the woman next door, with whom everyone would want to share a thing or two, from whom one might not hide things, for she is like each one of us- so common yet so different; so general yet so unique. God must have smiled when this little girl was born in a modest household of Mississippi. Oprah was brought up by her grandmother at her farm till age of six, after which she moved in with her mother in Milwaukee. But all was not child’s play for this petite girl as she had to bear the brunt of sexual abuse and molestation at a tender age. While all kids were playing childhood games, Oprah had to undergo an emotionally turbulent turmoil that turned her world upside down. There were no fairies, no angels, and no magic wands. Her world was sans all these likeable pleasures. Soon she ran away from all this and was sent to a juvenile detention home at the age of 13, only to be denied admission because there were no beds in there. The world had closed their doors for her there too. As a last resort she was sent to Nashville to live under her father`s strict discipline. Vernon Winfrey, her father saw to it that his daughter was living in a restricted environment that with books and not toys. Perhaps it was this forced habit that got on to her and became a passion. Career Winfrey`s public speaking career began in 1957. At 3 years of age she was speaking in church, by her teens she was touring the churches of Nashville reciting the sermons of James Weldon Johnson. While other children sang, Oprah talked. And she`s still talking, but to a much larger audience. Taught to read by her grandmother at an age when most children are only learning to talk, Oprah became a voracious reader. Books became her outlet to the world and the basis of her passionate belief in education. Oprah Winfrey`s broadcasting career began at age 17, when she was hired by WVOL radio in Nashville, and two years later signed on with WTVF-TV in Nashville as a reporter/anchor. She attended Tennessee State University, where she majored in Speech Communications and Performing Arts. One of Oprah’s famous quotes is, "Luck is preparation meeting opportunity." Her rise from being a small time newsreader on a small radio station to being the first woman in history to own and produce her own television talk show proves her point. In the year1976 she made a career transition by moving to Baltimore to join WJZ-TV news as a co-anchor and in 1978 got an opportunity to host a talk show when she became co-host of WJZ-TV`s "People Are Talking," while continuing to serve as anchor and news reporter. This was the beginning of something that was going to be unimaginably big. The chance that Oprah got this time was what made her discover her hidden talent of hosting talk shows, of being able to relate and empathize with people. In January of 1984, she made Chicago her base and hosted "AM Chicago," a new local talk show. But this very amateur talk show turned into the hottest show in town in a span of less than a year. The format was soon expanded to one hour, and in September 1985 it was renamed "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Seen nationally since September 8, 1986, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" became the number one talk show in less than a year. In June 1988, Oprah received her first International Radio and Television Society`s (IRTS) "Broadcaster of the Year" Award. She was the youngest person and only the fifth woman ever to receive the honour in IRTS`s 25-year long history. An actress of uncommon talent, her first feature film ‘The Color Purple’ brought her an Oscar nomination where she captured everyone’s attention with her poignant portrayal of Sofia. Critics again lauded her performance in Native Son, a movie adaptation of Richard Wright`s classic 1940 novel. Oprah’s fondness for acting and her desire to bring quality entertainment projects into production prompted her to form her own production company, HARPO Productions, Inc., in 1986. HARPO is a formidable force in film and television production today. In October, 1988, HARPO Productions, Inc. acquired ownership and all production responsibilities for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" making Oprah Winfrey the first woman in history to own and produce her own talk show. Since then HARPO has been producing television movies with the likes of- The Women of Brewster Place, There Are No Children Here, Before Women Had Wings and so on. Influence for Good In 1991, driven and inspired by her own memories of childhood abuse, she initiated a campaign to establish a national database of convicted child abusers, and testified before a US Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of a National Child Protection Act. President Clinton signed the "Oprah Bill" into law in 1993, establishing the national database she had sought, which is now available to law enforcement agencies and concerned parties across the country.

Oprah Winfrey has featured in the list of one of the 100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century by Time magazine. In 2003, Forbes magazine called her the first African-American woman to become a billionaire. This commendable woman also possesses a philanthropic side. In the year 2000, Oprah`s Angel Network began presenting a USD 100,000 "Use Your Life Award" to people who are using their lives to improve the lives of others. Besides this, she is also involved with various lesser known international charitable organisations as most of her charities are kept under wraps till date. Oprah has also opened a school in South Africa to provide for education to girls from poor families. She says- "When you educate a girl, you begin to change the face of a nation.” Though this move of opening a school far from America has met with criticism, it has not stopped Oprah from doing what she wants to. According to Oprah, the sole reason for opening her charitable school out of America was that there are a number of American charities running such schools in various cities of US but only a handful in South Africa besides that she also has an opinion that perhaps there will be a better utilization of the educational opportunities provided by her in South Africa rather than US. There was also a story of sexual abuse of a girl at her newly opened school that had created news worldwide. Oprah had expressed her angst at the episode soon after it promising strict action against those responsible. Oprah’s known to have strong views of things she believes in, the same goes for the people she endorses and supports. She has been handing out support to US Presidential candidate Barack Obama of late. Winfrey, who for years has been a close friend to Barack Obama, has been reaffirming her support for his Presidential candidacy. It is the first time that Oprah has ever supported a Presidential candidate. She has justified the endorsement to her proximity with Obama and support for his future policies for a better America for everyone and just not because she is a black. However some of her viewers are turning critics saying the “Black criteria” was too stark in her endorsement. Her Love

Oprah’s personal life has not been a secret ever. Her partner of 21 years, Stedman Graham is an American educator, author, businessman, and speaker. There are unconfirmed reports of her split with Stedman after Oprah learnt that the 56-year-old had received several multi-million-dollar offers from publishers to pen a book about his time with her. The media mogul recently drew up her will leaving none of her USD 2 billion fortune to her partner of 21 years in the event of her passing further fuelling the speculations. Instead, the talk-show queen has dictated her money will be donated to several charities and the three daughters she plans to adopt, without the help of best-selling author and motivational speaker Graham. A seeker of truth in herself and in others, her empathy, honesty, and love of people has made her one of the most loved women in America and admirable throughout the world, having touched and changed hundreds of lives with compassion, care, reverence and inspiration. And the way she puts it- “If you want your life to be more rewarding, you have to change the way you think. My life won`t be like this. My life won`t be like this, it will be better. Every one of us gets through the tough times because somebody is there, standing in the gap to close it for us. Remember whatever you fear most has no power - it is your fear that has the power.” Hope more people take Oprah’s path and change some more lives for the better.