OPRAH WINFREY delivered a powerful, empowering and inspiring speech after she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award during the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 7.
It is an honorary Golden Globe Award bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.” Since the first time this award was given in 1952, it is only this year when this recognition was bestowed upon a black woman — and that is Oprah.
In her speech, Oprah talked about what inspired her to be the woman she is now — amid poverty, racism, prejudice, abuses of people in power. “THEIR TIME IS UP!”… “A new day is on the horizon,” Oprah said so empathically that made a lot of viewers tear up, this writer included, thinking this is the kind of speech we want our children and grandchildren to hear.
As Oprah was delivering her speech, people were already making social media burn with their “Oprah for President 2020” posts and this has continued to be the hot topic even in homes, schools, offices, television and radio talk shows and newscasts, even after the Golden Globe Awards’ lights went off.
President Donald Trump even chimed in, saying he likes Oprah a lot, but does not think she will run. However, in the event she does, Trump said he will beat her.
But not too fast.
I myself love Oprah a lot. She has a very colorful and compelling life narrative that speaks volume about this woman’s strength, grit, determination, focus, intelligence, hard work, empathy, compassion, and love for humanity.
Her success story from her humble beginnings to being the successful media mogul she is now has inspired a lot of people. We have seen her rise higher and higher, witnessed her personal struggles on her way up, and felt she is just like every one of us.
Throughout her work on television, she has lifted the lives of millions of people who have watched and listened to her, and her Golden Globe speech was to me, her most shining moment that cast light to so many people during these challenging years in our nation’s history.
BUT beyond her powerful words and inspiring life, we have yet to know more about Oprah Winfrey before we could make the informed decision if she would be a good president, commander-in-chief of this nation.
I am not saying she is NOT qualified. I think she passes the “content of character” test, but what about other leadership and knowledge and vision requirements of a good president? How much does she know about governing, history, current events, international relations? What is her vision for America? What will be her platform to address domestic issues and financial challenges? How will her foreign policies look like? I really want to know.
In the meantime, let us digest and fully assimilate all the great things she spoke about in her speech. My favorite parts:
“I want to thank the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. We know the press is under siege these days. We also know it’s the insatiable dedication to uncovering the absolute truth that keeps us from turning a blind eye to corruption and to injustice. To—to tyrants and victims, and secrets and lies. I want to say that I value the press more than ever before as we try to navigate these complicated times, which brings me to this: what I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have. And I’m especially proud and inspired by all the women who have felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their personal stories. Each of us in this room are celebrated because of the stories that we tell, and this year we became the story.”
“In my career, what I’ve always tried my best to do, whether on television or through film, is to say something about how men and women really behave. To say how we experience shame, how we love and how we rage, how we fail, how we retreat, persevere, and how we overcome. I’ve interviewed and portrayed people who’ve withstood some of the ugliest things life can throw at you, but the one quality all of them seem to share is an ability to maintain hope for a brighter morning, even during our darkest nights. So I want all the girls watching here, now, to know that a new day is on the horizon! And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say ‘Me too’ again.”
