Courage Essay Example

Bravery against Racism and Bullying

Winston Churchill once said, “Courage is what it takes to stand up; Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” We should never be afraid of what others think of our opinions. If we have the courage to speak up, others will listen. Pearl Thusi, Priyanka Chopra, and my father were courageous in many ways. Physical and social courage is shown in these three people.

What is it like to be courageous? To be courageous, a person has to be able to face their fears, go through difficulties, and pain. Having courage also means being brave by taking risks for somebody else even if it could lead to something bad. In the “Merriam-Webster Dictionary,” the definition is “having the moral strength to withstand danger, fear, and/or difficulty.” For example, courage is the ability to have guts like not being afraid of doing anything. As well as a person doing something for the first time without any help or speaking in front of a big audience is very courageous. This is courageous because this person is facing their fears even when they're afraid of speaking in front of large crowds. Sometimes we have to be brave and take some risks in life to get out there to better our future. If a person keeps having confidence then sooner or later, everything will start to look different. It can be the littlest things that show a person they are courageous; it doesn’t always have to be something big.

Pearl Thusi is an African-American woman who faced through racism her high school years. When she was younger she was always bullied because of her skin color and light complexion. People would often tell her she is only pretty because her skin color is light. Otherwise, if she was dark-skinned she would be considered ugly. Pearl Thusi didn't want to be different from other people. She always wished and prayed that her skin color could get darker just to be accepted. Although, she hated the fact that other students would tease her for her skin color. Moreover, she learned to love and accept herself. For example, she mentioned how she knew who she was now and what was beneath her skin genuinely defined her. Pearl Thusi once said, “We got to believe that we are here for a reason.” She was a courageous woman because she had defended the truth of her race and accepted that the color of our skin does not define our heritage, culture, and tribe.

Secondly, Priyanka Chopra was another person that went through racism in many ways. It all started when she was 13 years old and went to the United States to get an education. She was the only Indian girl at her school which made her stand out more as the new girl. She would get bullied by an African-American girl named Jeanine. For example, Jeanine would name Priyanka as “Brownie” and often tell her to go back to her country, and how she smells like curry. She couldn't deal with this non-stop bullying, so she convinced her mother to go back to India so that is what they did. Priyanka Chopra once said, “Be true to who we are. Be courage, Be selfless. Be love. Courage comes from knowing our truth and standing up for it.” However, even though she moved away from the bullying she was still courageous. She was courageous because for a period time she tried to deal with the bullying and took a stand to let her mother know what was going on.

My father, Roger Sanchez was born and raised in Mexico. He decided one day to come to the United States for a better life. He went through many obstacles from almost dying from starvation to getting shot by the Border Patrol. My father survived by drinking his own urine, without it he would have never made it out alive. Crossing the border was very courageous of my father because there was a 50/50 chance he could have either lived or got killed. Not everyone has the courage to risk their own lives for a better life in the future. My father relates to me in a way because he has shown that anything is possible, especially if it is something to a better life. However, my father didn't know much English so everywhere he went he always got told racist things. For example, people often told him to speak English when he would speak Spanish to family or to go back to where he came from. My father did not let all these racist comments bother him. Years later, he started to pick up some English from my sisters and brother and became fluent at it. Furthermore, since my father knew some English he felt like he should try to apply for a job. This was a brave decision because even though he still struggled a little with English; he wanted to communicate with other peers.

In conclusion, Pearl Thusi, Priyanka Chopra, and my father were courageous in numerous ways by showing physical and social courage. Pearl Thusi was courageous for standing up for herself for being bullied by the color of her skin. My father and Priyanka Chopra were similar in a way because they both were from a different country and overcame racism. In addition to this, Pearl Thusi also overcame racism but had some differences.

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