Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris

"Rather than ignore those who choose to publish their opinions without actually talking to me, I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love."

These are the exact words from one Neil Patrick Harris in November of 2006 after he was comfortably able to “come out” to the public about his sexuality. However, NPH is far more than just a LBGTQ figure.

Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, producer, and director. He is known for playing Barney Stinson in the television comedy series How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014), the title character in Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989–1993), the title role in Joss Whedon's musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008), and a fictional version of himself in the Harold & Kumar film series (2004–2011). He has also appeared in the films Starship Troopers (1997), Beastly (2011), The Smurfs (2011), and The Smurfs 2 (2013).

Harris was named as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2010, and was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in September 2011. Harris has also hosted the Tony Awards on Broadway in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Harris is a visionary. Gracing everyone from TV screen to big screen, Neil is always a topic of discussion in a positive way.

Neil and his romantic partner, David Burtka act as one to be one of the great symbols of the LGBTQ community and proving that equality can most certainly mean happiness if treated fairly.

One thing that NPH proves more than anything is the overwhelming fact that you should never feel the need to hide from the world who you truly are inside. Being gay has often been victimized for years in the world, and still is today. However, once we can all come together and be comfortable with the acceptance that we’re all different, I believe that even Neil can say this place with be “LEGEN…… Wait for it…… DARY”

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000439/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Patrick_Harris

Oprah Winfrey

She is one of the most successful women known in the world. Owning her own talk show, magazine, radio, studios, film, and foundation. Her reach is internationally, available in 85 million homes. Speaking out to those who are willing to listen, helping those who are willing to accept the help granted. She is encouraging, uplifting, entertaining and giving; she is Oprah Winfrey.

She started out broadcasting in high school, and at the age of 19 she became a new anchor for Nashville's WTVF-TV. Her very own show known as the Oprah Winfrey Show wasn't known as that at first. After leaving Nashville she hosted WLS-TV's morning talk show in Chicago, which became the number one local talk show after she joined. It was then later named after her and it became her own show.

She was the third woman in the American entertainment industry to own her own studio in 1988. For 25 years she influenced her viewers and fans, giving helpful advice and tips on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Her influence reached out to 150 countries, up to 40 million viewers per week. In 2008 she partnered with Discovery Communications created OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network which became the first and only network named for a single iconic leader.

Oprah radio, constantly on and open to anyone who needs some motivation. O, The Oprah Magazine, is her very own women's lifestyle magazine with almost 2.5 million readers per month. Harpo Films, where she has produced multiple films based on classical and contemporary literature. Along with the Oprah Winfrey Foundation, reaching out to those in need of help. She is widely known for her fundraisers, Oprah's Angel Network raised over $80 million in 1998, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation raised over $40 million in 2000 and her "Christmas Kindness in South Africa" sending 50,000 children received gifts in South Africa.

With her unlimited care for children, she went on to testify in front of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee with determination to establish a national database of convicted child abusers and in 1993 President Clinton signed the bill into law.

With hard work and dedication, she was able to achieve more than she ever dreamed of. Becoming one of the most iconic leaders in America, known worldwide and an inspiration to all.

http://www.oprah.com/pressroom/Oprah-Winfreys-Official-Biography

Blog 5: Alaina Mills

Martin Luther King Jr. 
Social Issue- Racism     

           Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. He had a dream that “one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'" He believed that what is inside a person should affect how someone views you, not the outside. And he said that your color should not determine your rights to citizenship or certain things.
         
           Michael Luther King Jr. (who later had his name changed to Martin), was born January 15^th, 1929 in Atlanta, GA. He completed high school, college, and graduate school and eventually followed in his grandfather and father’s footsteps by becoming a pastor. He was the pastor Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. He met his wife, Coretta Scott, while in graduate school in Boston. They had two children together. Racism in this time was a huge social issue, and because of this MLK was an active civil rights leader and was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In this organization he took part of a bus boycott that lasted almost 400 days. During this boycott King was arrested, he suffered physical abuse, and his home was bombed. However, the boycott was successful because segregation in busses became illegal.

          During the time period of 1957-1968, MLK traveled over 6 million miles to different places where there was segregation and protests, giving his many memorable speeches. After giving over 2500 speeches, writing 5 books, and many articles, he began to catch the attention of many Americans. He is most famous for directing the march on Washington D.C. and delivering his “I Have a Dream” speech to over 250,000 people. Due to his strong protests he was arrested almost 20 times and assaulted 4 times. But was also awarded 5 honorary degrees, was the youngest man to receive the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 35, and was named Man of the Year by Time Magazine in 1963. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 on his balcony right before leading a protest march.

          Although he died young, his legacy did not die with him. He was a brave and influential man who made a lasting impact on the world and the thought of racism. He was a leader and still continues to lead. He is not only a symbolic leader of American Blacks, but he is also a world figure. Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream will never be forgotten.  

 

 

 

 

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm

http://wamc.org/post/dr-martin-luther-king-jr-i-have-dream-speech-h-carl-mccall-and-dr-jw-wiley

Michael Sam- TV Williams

Michael Alan Sam was born January 7, 1990. He chose to go to the University of Missouri where he played football. After having four outstanding seasons and being a consensus All American in the SEC, which is one of the best conferences in the NCAA. Michael Sam publicly came out to the media as gay. After announcing to the world Sam took a lot of criticism. With just one announcement Michael went from being one of the most loved football players at the time to one of the most hated, but that didn’t change his view at all. He was happy to be able to free with the world. If he could accept the world, why couldn’t the world accept him?      

            After Michael Sam’s senior season in his collegiate career he was one of the top players in the country with very good reason to believe he would go first round in this years NFL draft. When he released his statement about him being gay, ESPN along with other TV stations started to suspect his current draft stock would drop. Again this didn’t bother Michael Sam at all; he wanted all the pro teams to know of his sexuality.

            Should his sexuality matter to the NFL teams? he played outstanding in college and got along with all of his teammates who by the way support him after his statement but also never had any problems with him being gay while he was on his collegiate team at the University of Missouri. Sam led the Mizzou defense to the SEC championship where they fell just short of the title to the Auburn tigers who would go on to the national championship and loose to the Florida state Seminoles.

            With Sam publicly being gay he would be the first active NFL player to have declared gay publicly. To some this causes hatred but to some he is a hero.