Jim Carrey by Emely R.

Did you ever think about how some of the funniest or happiest people have ever faced adversity? Facing adversity is something we as people go through and maybe some don’t share it with the world. It teaches us lessons and makes us stronger for any future activities that could happen. For example, let's look at Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey has faced a lot of problems before becoming a famous actor. There is no better person that has gone through this but him; he has faced not having enough money, having depression, and ADHD.

To begin with, Jim wasn’t very wealthy from the start according to the information on eslfast.com. Jim was in a lower middle class household. Since he was 15 he started facing adversity. Carrey had to drop out of high school to help his family and get a job as a janitor to help support his family. You can imagine that a boy at this age wouldn’t be so happy with having to quit his high school years to help out his family. But this didn’t stop Jim from doing what he enjoys. He knew he had a talent for comedy and took that opportunity and used it for his success. As you can see, Jim didn’t let his financial problems stop him for succeeding and still enjoying life.

Also, according to mentalhealthdaily.com, Jim wasn’t open about his battle with depression until later on in his life. The cause of this could have been mainly his childhood. Since Jim had to quit high school, he didn’t have interactions with people his age meaning he had a bigger and more mature mind then normal kids his age. This also made him have very bad anger against what he was going through. Meanwhile, he had depression and he dealt with anger, despair, and mood swings. In Jim’s life at that time he was so stressed and mad about his life situation and this caused him to have lots of anger. His depression was more severe because of his teen years since he couldn’t live a normal 15 year old lifestyle without having to worry about financial problems. Being a comedian helped Carrey cope with his depression.

Additionally, while dealing with depression, Jim was also diagnosed with ADHD according to edgefoundation.org. When he was child, he couldn’t finish his assignments on time quickly and sometimes disrupted his other classmates. Since a young age he has undergone treatment. When he got older, he used his celebrity advantage and spoke seriously about this topic. Having ADHD did go to his advantage in some parts like his creativity and being energized in his job. He also found a painting that inspired him about his adversity on this. Jim had to deal with depression and with ADHD; at the same time this shows how an actor known for being funny has gone through some harsh things just like us.

Finally, Jim Carrey faced a lot of adversity in his life that maybe most people didn’t know he had gone through. Although, sometimes he felt like there will be no good things coming he made it past all his struggles like having depression, ADHD, and being unhoused. He had struggled since a young age with things he couldn’t control. He is a remarkable man that overcame so many harsh obstacles. Although he might never expect it, he is now he  is a very known man that has made many people smile and laugh throughout the world.

Katherine Johnson by Yestin R.

 

Did you Know that Katherine Johnson faced many adversities in her life? Most people face adversities in their life. Adversities are huge challenges people face. For example, there’s discrimination or a major problem, in somebody’s life. Katherine Johnson is one of those people, since she faced discrimination when she was young and as an adult.

First of all, in Katherine Johnson’s early life, she enjoyed math a lot. In paragraph 1 in NASA.gov, it says, “Katherine Johnson had an intense curiosity and brilliance with numbers.” Katherine Johnson enjoyed math at a very young age that she was even attending high school focused on it. In addition, in the same source it says, “By the age of 13 she was attending high school.” It also says at 16 She enrolled in college. She was a very smart for someone her age and had to deal with discrimination as she was an African American female. When Katherine Johnson graduated with highest honors in 1937, she took a black public school in Virginia. It goes to show that she wanted to teach other people In her early life she was really smart for her age and what she also had to deal with.

Second of all, in Katherine Johnson’s time in NASA she was considered a human computer, but she also had to deal with discrimination. “In Who is Katherine Johnson,” paragraph 10, it says, “Katherine Johnson, was not allowed to attend meetings because she was a Woman.” Not only did she had to deal with discrimination but she had to deal with sexism. In addition, Katherine Johnson wasn’t relied on most of the time because she was black and a woman. I feel bad for Katherine Johnson because she wasn’t treated properly like the men working in NASA. In the same source it says, “shortly thereafter, Johnson became part of the space team. She began calculating the flight path at trajectory path for the rocket to put the first American in space in 1961,” as well she also helped on the first moon landing. Katherine later was a huge help on the moon landing and she was very well known for that in her time in NASA.

Lastly, In Katherine Johnson's time after NASA she also did amazing things. In ”Who is Katherine Johnson,” paragraph 14, it says, “In 2016, she received honorary doctorates in science from West Virginia University and West Virginia State University.” I'm glad she finally got what she deserved and was recognized for it. In the same source last paragraph, it says, “she also liked to talk to students. She often told students to study and to work hard. She encouraged students to learn more about mathematics and science - and to never give up on their dreams.” In the end Katherine Johnson was truly and inspirational person.

To end this, Katherine Johnson was an inspirational woman. In her early life she was very smart for her age and time, and later on helped with the moon landing. In her time in NASA, she wasn’t relied on most of the time but later on she helped on big projects. In her time after NASA, she told students to follow their dreams just like her. Katherine had a big impact on the first moon landing and inspired many people. Later on she died in 2020 at the age of 101.

Kim Taehyung by Rachel F.

Let’s be honest. Who doesn’t like doing their favorite hobby like singing and so much more? What’s your favorite hobby? Some people can’t always afford their dreams. Kim Taehyung was also struggling, but lucky for him he could complete his dream. He loves his career so much and he wouldn’t change it for nothing! He also loves taking pictures of everything.

First off, he’s a very brave person and has gone through a lot in his life especially with his grandma who died and who took care of him for most of his life! According to the source “TheFamousPeople.com,” he was born December 30, 1995 and is currently 25. He was also born in Daegu, South Korea and he is famous as a pop singer. He also known as his nickname V, and he is a Capricorn. He has Two siblings, Kim Eon Jin and Kim Jeong Gyu they were both born also in Daegu South Korea.  According to that same source “TheFamousPeople.com” “Kim Taehyung, popularly known as ‘V,’ is a singer, songwriter, and dancer from South Korea. Today, he is particularly famous for being one of the main members of the popular K-pop group Bangtan Boys (simply known as BTS).” He’s achieved a very high position as of right now and his fans admire him very much. According to that also same source TheFamousPeople.com, “Kim’s journey began when he and his current band mate Jimin made a remix of ‘Old School Love ft. Ed Sheeran’ and uploaded it on Soundcloud, to celebrate their graduation. He went on to join Bangtan Boys in 2011 but wasn’t revealed to be an official member of the band until 2013.” This was an obstacle, since he wasn’t being recognized right away for his talents and not given immediate respect for his gifts.

Next off, Kim has gotten so many fans by now that he’s a world sensation, but the path was not easy. According to the source TheFamousPeople.com, “Kim Taehyung is one of those people who come out of nowhere, only to take the internet by storm, almost overnight. Not only is he an incredible vocalist, songwriter, and keyboardist, he is also a budding actor. Being his multi-talented self, he shows the prospect of a bright future. Besides being so skilled, he is also the face of his band, and is easily considered one of the most popular K-pop artists of all time”. He honestly is a very special person to be honest. One last thing From the same source TheFamousPeople.com is “His parents are traditionally farmers, and he is from a not-so-privileged background.” His mother is a housewife. This shows that his early life had hardships. He did not have an easy path to fame.

Continuing, Kim’s dream has always, and I repeat has always been his career in singing and according to this source TheWikiFeed.com “He joined Changnam Elementary School for his early schooling and later completed higher schooling from Korean Arts School, Hongik-dong, Seoul in 2014. After that, he enrolled himself at the Global Cyber University, Cheonan, South Korea from where he completed his graduation with a major in Broadcasting and Entertainment. As of 2021, he is pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Advertising and Media from Hanyang Cyber University, South Korea.Kim Taehyung always wanted to be a popular singer and songwriter in his career. Since childhood, he has a deep interest in music and aspired to be a professional singer during elementary school.” With all his effort and his dreams, he well deserved this place and I’m sure all his fans and by you should be thinking the same thing, such a wonderful person and let’s not forget his charms. Coming from a humble beginning, he fought tooth and nail to get to where he is today. He focuses not just on entertainment, but also his education.

Finally, At the end of the day, most people complete their dreams when it’s the correct time. Kim Taehyung deserved where he is right now, and I think that’s amazing. He’s worked hard for that place. He came from humble beginnings. Now he’s a success in every area of his life. 

Walt Disney by Randy T.

 

Think about someone you admire, and you realize that they have success because of their young days the person had/has of not being treated good. Having to go through adversity is a pretty normal thing to go through. What that person does or do with things like adversity is important, and they use it to keep encouraging themselves. A perfect example Is Walt Disney, who overcame adversity through his life, at his house, and places like the cinema and his studio during a time of segregation.

To start with, Walt Disney had a really difficult early life. Biography.com gives us information about Walt Disney loving trains and railroads when he was a kid. Walt Disney loved it when I believed he was at his grandfather’s workplace, which is a railroad and driving trains. Walt Disney also had an abusive father, and he was the 4th child out of five. Walt Disney grew up with a really bad father, and I mean a really bad father, and he was the 4th child out of five in the family, so he didn’t always get a lot of attention. Walt Disney had also found solace in drawing. Walt Disney also loved drawing and creating things even when he grew up. All of this information about his childhood tells me that he can achieve what he wants to achieve. 

Despite Walt Disney’s early life, what the problems and things related to it about Walt Disney’s job might shock you. Walt Disney’s cartoon business went bankrupt. After the success Walt Disney had, he had to face bankruptcy, which is pretty sad. That means he lost money. Walt Disney had a nervous breakdown after creating Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney was nervous to go bankrupt again and couldn’t afford to have that happen again. Walt Disney’s animators went on strike during World War ll. Walt Disney’s animators were tired of their low payment. All of these things that happened are crazy.

Some things that can shock you is the type of segregation Walt Disney faced. Walt Disney premiered some of his cartoons at “Whites only” venues while contracted to ABC-Paramount. This means that Walt Disney premiered some his cartoons at “Whites Only” theaters, while he was still contracted to ABC-Paramount. Disney’s theme park was financed by a business that actively segregated against African Americans. So basically, the thing that financed Walt Disney’s theme park pretty much hates or has conflict with African Americans. Walt Disney agreed to produce the 1964 television series Disneyland for ABC in exchange for ABC-Paramount financing the building of the theme park Disneyland. This meant that Walt Disney made a deal with ABC-Paramount to help financing the Disneyland building, if Walt Disney makes the Disneyland series. With this said you guys have been informed about the type of segregation Walt Disney went through his life so far.

In a close, you guys have been informed a lot about Walt Disney. You guys learned about Walt Disney’s business issues, and what he went through. You guys have also learned about the segregation he went through in his life. This is the adversity in the life of Walt Disney.

Eminem by Leyla D.

 

                Do you know anyone who has faced adversity? Facing adversity is a quite common thing. A lot of people have many situations throughout their life. One person I know who faced adversity is Eminem, also known as Marshall Bruce Mathers III. Marshall is mostly known for his music with over 220 million records, but he wasn’t always at the top. Marshall struggled with his social life, battle with addiction, and lastly a hard time with family members.

               To start, Eminem's social life was rough. According to https://outlierseminem.weebly.com/ the author says that he was told rough treatment was a common occurrence. "Beat up in the bathroom, beat up in the hallways, shoved into lockers.” Eminem was clearly treated very poorly by his peers during his school times which is a tough situation to go through as a teenager. “Mathers would recall moving schools often and said ‘I would change schools two, three times a year, that was probably the roughest part about it all.’” Moving schools a bunch of times really can take a toll on one's social life. In the source https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/eminem-3985.php, the author states that Eminem was bullied often. Marshall definitely has faced a lot of obstacles with his social life.

                Not only did Eminem have a rough social life, he also has went down a long road with a battle of addiction. In the source https://iamsober.com/blog/eminem-road-to-recovery/, it states that “Eminem became addicted not to illicit street drugs like crack or heroin, but instead drugs many thought were harmless because they were legal: prescription opioids. It happened because the rapper was working long hours with little time to rest. A well-meaning person gave him a pill that permitted him to get to sleep quickly and so make more efficient use of his time while on tour.” Marshall got addicted to prescribed drugs which has had a big toll on his life. But the time came when he was taking as many as or more than 20 pills a day, and he was mixing them into new combinations. Eminem’s problem grew with all the prescriptions he got prescribed. “Eminem got serious, worked with a rehab counselor and went through a difficult and painful detoxification. He says he was awake for three weeks straight, 24 hours a day, and had to relearn how to perform fundamental tasks such as talking and walking, but also that he ‘could be naturally happy without being on something’ and that ‘It does get better.’” Marshall got his life together. He was inspired by his kids  and wanted to live life for them.

        Lastly, Eminem has had a hard time with family members. According to the source https://starschanges.com/eminem-family/, “Eminem’s real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, but the last name was the only thing he got from his father. Marshall Bruce Jr. left the family, when his son was less than one year old.” Growing up without a father figure can really affect one’s childhood in the worst way. “Debbie had to work from morning till night to survive. She had no time to care about her small son and very often Eminem spent time in his grandparents’ house.” Marshall grew up not really seeing his mom, which is very sad because all kids need their mother. His parents remarried and had other children. They started not to pay attention to their oldest son as much. “To cope with poverty, pain, and anxiety Eminem started to practice rap.” Eminem dealt with his issues through music, which really helped his rap career. Definitely, Marshall has overcome so many obstacles.

             To wrap it up, Eminem has faced a lot of adversity during his life from his social life, battle with addiction, and hard time with family. What do you think about the situations Eminem has overcome? He is someone who overcame obstacles. He is a well-known and successful person after facing adversity.

Oprah Winfrey by Maria V.

              Many people have faced adversity, like your ancestors and you may not even know it. Adversity is a normal thing that happens in everyone’s lives, and some people take it as an advantage to become better or even successful for the future. Let’s take an example, such as Oprah Winfrey. Oprah today is an influencer, who doesn’t have a perfect life like some people thought. She’s one of the people who faced adversity.

             Growing up as a child, it was complicated for Winfrey because of her poor household she lived in. She grew up with her mother who soon put her to live with her grandmother. Her grandmother was financially unstable to the point Oprah had to wear potato sacks as clothes, which led to other kids making fun of her. Her grandma was reported as abusive, and at age 14 she was pregnant because of SA. Fortunately, her grandmother was able to teach her how to read and would take her to church. Despite the obstacles Winfrey had went through, she never gave up and decided to change her life. A website called liveabout.com, talks about Winfrey’s tragic childhood.

              Next, Oprah Winfrey started a new beginning, and decided to run away and get a new job at a local supermarket, since no one believed her after talking about her experience with her abusers. She started going to school while working, and became an honors student and was also known as the popular girl at her school. At age 17, she won a beauty pageant and attracted a radio station. She knew that it was time to take this advantage to become better than those who denied her success. On achievement.com, it states about her first win at the pageant.

              Lastly, after she got hired, she worked hours even if she was just in high school. She worked hard and kept learning in order to become her dream self, as a TV actress. She would start working on stage and talk about how she overcame her childhood to others, and she realized how she was not alone. Oprah Winfrey was known as the first youngest African American woman in the local media. According to a website called “Oprah Foundation”, she made her own charity called The Oprah Winfrey foundation, which she donated MILLIONS of dollars to help out those in need for food. Not only did she became successful, but she also gave an education to many people.

             To conclude, she was a strong woman who faced adversity. Today, even though she faced so many difficulties throughout her early life, she is now known as the richest African American woman of the 20th century and an influencer. Maybe you can be like her in the future, and if you ever face adversity you have to remember that it’s a normal thing in life to experience.

Katherine Johnson by Randy S.

 

Did Katherine Johnson overcome adversity? Yes, she did, since it was 1918- 1950, and woman were not doing the job that Katherine Johnson was doing, especially black woman. Katherine was one of those black women that worked at NASA/NACA.

First of all, in Katherine Johnson’s early life, she loved math so much. It even says this “What Did She Study in College,” paragraph 2, it states “She counted everything from the number of steps she took to get to the food to the numbers of forks and plates she washed when doing the dishes.” She loved math so much that even from a young age, she was always eager to go to school. She did amazing in school that she was in high school at the age of 10 and went to college at the age of 15 years old. That is a huge accomplishment. Being a young minority, during a time of racism, she was able to achieve a lot.

Second, while Katherine Johnson was working at NASA, she would get treated differently than others at her workspace. For example, on paragraph 10, it says “women were not allowed to attend meetings with the male engineers and scientists.” Johnson wanted to go to the meetings to learn more about the projects, so she went anyway. So, they wouldn’t allow women to those meetings the male engineers and scientist went to. In the trailer for Hidden Figures, we can see that she was mistaken for a cleaning lady. By attending meetings, she eventually she gained respect from the men and all those men viewed her as a leader and relied on her for many things. This was great for her, being a African American woman in the 1950s having all those men viewing her as a leader and the way she was getting treated at her workspace at NASA /NACA got tremendously better.

Finally, the way Katherine got accepted to NASA is marvelous. It says in paragraph 1, “when Johnson was 34 years old, she applied for a job…. In the early to mid-1950s, NACA was just beginning its work on studying space. NACA was hiring women, including African American women…. The first time Johnson applied, all of the jobs were already filled, but then she had called again another time, and they answered her phone call and gave her a job to be a human computer. A human computer made calculations without special devices or technology. This was amazing for the time she was living in. She did this as an African American woman.

Finishing off everything, these are the things Katherine Johnson did in her early life, the ways she got treated when working at her workspace, and the ways she got accepted to work as human computer at be NASA.  So yes these are all the things that happened in her life. She faced adversity and became successful. To this day, many people look up to her.