“Everything goes through the struggle of not knowing who they are, but most of it knowing where You are, not being able to put two and two together,” Epperson told ABC news’ “TV.”
She found answers in unlikely haven-skating rink. Harlem, NY-native skate when she was 6.
“I don’t have to explain myself when I’m skating,” said Epperson. “He just led me in the right direction. This is who I am. That’s what I want to do, and that’s what I need to do to get there.”
ABC news
15-year-old mark Epperson is the co-captain of the figure skating in Harlem.
Epperson and her best friend, the fate of Jean-Michel are part of the figure skating in Harlem, a program designed to provide educational mentoring and access to elite sport in black and latina girls, not enough demographic in the sport. It is a fact that Epperson is well aware.
“Diversity is something that is not seen anywhere enough,” she said. “How and when was the last time you had a black man in the Olympics?”
It is not far from the truth. At the winter Olympics this year, the U.S. team was at its most diverse, but, nevertheless, 92% of whites.
As one of the few teams in the country, consisting of girls of color, figure skating in Harlem figure skaters said that they often face discrimination.
“Race is everything,” said Epperson, describing a situation in which the other team made snide comments about how girls “don’t take your bags.”
Of course frightening for girls, the first. But with each leg jump each Axel, their confidence grew.
“It was definitely scary, but then I realized that there is nothing intimidating about it, just to really inspire girls of color,” said Jean Michael.
‘Pro-life’
Sharon Cohen, founder of figure skating in Harlem, said it’s more important than ever that girls of color have every opportunity to become who they want. Her motto? “We did not prepare girls for the Olympics, we are creating Champions for life”.
Cohen founded the program in 1997, after the impact of black hockey team in East Harlem.
“I was completely amazed by this. I thought it was amazing, because at the time in figure skating, I did not see the children of color,” Cohen said Lindsay news ABC’ Davis. Soon she began to teach girls in East Harlem to skate before the official establishment of the organization.
Once herself a competitive figure skater, Cohen is a national gold medalist, who knows all too well, the exclusivity of the sport.
“The palette of figure skating is not very different today than it was when I skated,” said she.
Cohen said that while the skating is getting all the publicity, the heart of the program beyond the ice-girls to take classes in science and technology twice a week, as well as lessons in leadership. The program boasts that 100% of students in higher education.
“Our big wins, when our girls go to schools like Georgetown and Barnard, Howard and Spelman,” said Cohen.
The change of life
For the fate of Jean-Michel’s father, cliff, Jean-Michel, the program has no analogues. He’s omnipresent in the competition, often seen sitting, munching snacks in the stands.
“When the fate of the skates, as if it were another person on the ice. This is similar to the fate of the office and on the ice of destiny and her face just glows and blooms”, he said.
He’s a single dad, raising his fate on himself after mother’s fate left the household years ago. He credits the sport with changing his daughter’s life. One day, before he takes your daughter to practice, he stops for a moment, picking up a figure of destiny on the ice. A tear comes to his eyes.
“[I’m] just thinking about what she went through in life and how this moment in pure and innocent,” he said.
ABC news
The fate of Jean-Michael, captain of the figure skating in Harlem received a full scholarship from one of the leading private schools in new York.
“He raised me,” says destiny, who has never had a female role model. “I went to figure skating in Harlem, I have sisters,” she added.
And it’s not just emotional support. Figure skating is an expensive sport, which can cost up to $ 50,000 a year on equipment and training. Figure skating in Harlem is funded in part by charitable donations, which subsidise the cost for girls. The fate of the family pays about 850 $annually for skating, including outfits and individual lessons. Figure skating in Harlem also helped her obtain a full scholarship for one of the leading private preparatory school in new York.
“We are struggling with money here and there, but we are able to cope,” she said. “Figure skating in Harlem, definitely helps me to do what I love.”
In other cities
Success in Harlem has inspired Cohen to expand the program to Detroit, the city is struggling with education reform.
“This community,” said Cohen. “Need help in training, as well as the manual that comes with figure skating.”
Once an industrial center, Detroit announced five years ago, bankruptcy. Schools continued to lag, and many of them are closed. Figure skating Director at the Detroit, Geneva Williams stated that the city is on the verge of return.
“Detroit, we are in the midst of amazingly wonderful transformation. We are going to be bigger and better than we ever had before,” Williams said. “To have a focus on the development of young women, because it’s all about girl power-this is the place for that happen.”
ABC news
Eight-year-old Janiya Johnson from Detroit Olympics harbors dreams of.
For 8-year-old Janiya Johnson and her mother, Janine Johnson, news figure skating in Harlem close to the city, opened big dreams.
Janiya wants to make it to the Olympics, she wants to become a legend.
“We are black women and we can do what other people can do,” she said. “We are as strong as other people.”
Watch full story on “evening” tonight at 12:35 am Eastern time
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
