People of the United States know Condoleezza Rice as the first African-American female to hold office as the U.S. Secretary of State under President Bush’s Administration (“Condoleezza Rice”). They may also be aware of her educational success of attending Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Denver (“Condoleezza Rice”). However, the majority of people may not be aware of the world Condoleezza Rice grew up in, the challenges she faced daily, and how she was able to become so successful when the odds were against her. On November 14, 1954, Condoleezza Rice was born into a world that was automatically against her, but she learned how to take advantage of her circumstances (“Condoleezza Rice”). Racial prejudices …show more content…
She understood that education and the arts were the key to success, so she worked twice as hard as the average individual to enrich herself. For Condoleezza, education was the way out of the cruel world that she lived in. Her parents refused to let her feel inadequate or incapable; therefore, she strived to be the best version of herself, and she succeeded. The environment one grows up in strongly influences the future of the individual. Condoleezza could have let the violent environment around her prevent her from being successful, but instead she found the light within the cruelty. She looked at the cruel world she lived in as a challenge she had to face and as a challenge she had to overcome. Her environment gave her motivation to reach her goal of succeeding the white man and of becoming successful, even when the odds were strongly against her. Without being marginalized or discriminated against Condoleezza Rice would not have found refuge in educating herself, and she would not have found reason or purpose to work as hard she did to become successful. Sometimes behind a great person is a long dark road that was well worth the travel, and Condoleezza Rice proves this to be