michaela deprince is the complete embodiment of a survivor. thanks to a country in the midst of civil war, both of her parents were killed when she was very young in sierre leone. michaela was then ostracized at the orphanage where she ended up because of a skin disease (vitiligo) that she had no control over but made her look different. but in the orphanage is also where michaela (known then as mabinty) would find inspiration. there was a picture of a ballerina on the cover of a magazine she came across. michaela would become enamored with this the tear out, promising herself that if she ever got out of the situation she was in, this was what her life should look like. as luck would have it, she would be adopted by a great family in america who encouraged her to pursue her dreams of dancing. even in america, this wouldn't be easy. a dark skinned black girl dancing ballet was not the norm and michaela would face plenty of discrimination and ridicule. thankfully, michaela deprince would not let the naysayers get in her way. she would go on to become a very successful ballerina despite the obstacles. she is now a member of the Dutch National Ballet Junior Company and is slated to join the main company next year! michaela even lived out her dream of playing the lead in the classic Swan Lake production at Lincoln Center. and did i mention that she is only 19?! what we love most about deprince is her need to help others. she recognizes and relishes her position as a role model.
"Because I’ve been through so much, I know now that I can
make it and I can help other kids who have been in really
bad situations realize that they can make it too.”
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