When Oprah Winfrey puts her stamp on something, you can expect the best. We know her best for her tireless work in media (on- and offscreen) that solidified her status as a mogul, and many of us are aware of how much this superstar gives back. But when Momma O decided to create the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa in 2007, she changed the game.
This school made her the surrogate mother to many young women as she facilitated their dreams by providing them access to a world-class education at the academy. Winfrey said: “My work with these girls feels as natural to me as if they were my own children. For me, this is what mothering was meant to be.”
It’s been 10 years since Winfrey opened the academy, and we’re wondering, where are the girls now? That’s where our family member Kimberly Brooks of Fusion comes in with the riveting documentary O Girls, which allowed Brooks to reunite with Winfrey and the first graduating class of the academy as they achieve another milestone: college graduation. The names of the OWLAG graduates are Bongeka, Thando, Charmain, Debra and Mpumi.
The one-hour documentary showcases how education can empower young women and girls all over the world to do incredible things, and it reveals the challenges that come along with such a life-altering opportunity.
Winfrey told Brooks: “I wanted to help girls who really wanted it. They could see the possibility for themselves, if only. If only they had the means to do it.”
What a beautiful story Winfrey has created not only for the five young women in O Girls but for all of her girls at the academy.
Brooks said: “For me this is a living, breathing story. This journey continues for all of us. As a woman of color, I am grateful for an opportunity to produce content about women of color accomplishing incredible things in this world.”
Watch O Girls on Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. on Fusion. Check your local listings.
DISCUSSION
I cannot believe it has been 10 years! Congratulations to these lovely young women!