海角大神

Today begins a week in which American opportunity should shine, with a major party set to name as its vice presidential candidate a woman of Black and South Asian heritage 鈥� 100 years after women聽won the right to vote.

The power of that pairing competes with concerns that pandemic and a聽hindered postal service聽could imperil November鈥檚 elections.聽聽

Feeling whipsawed by the news cycle? Focus on the power of earned opportunity to emerge undeterred.聽

Here鈥檚 a story you might have missed. An 11-year-old Nigerian boy, Anthony Madu Mmesoma,聽聽in June dancing barefoot in a downpour on the rough pavement of a Lagos street near the studio where he takes instruction.聽

His moves were a study in grace, with refined extensions and leaps. Millions saw the video. Among them: Cynthia Harvey, a former dancer with the American Ballet Theatre in New York, now artistic director of an affiliated dance school.

聽鈥淲ithin a day,鈥澛�, 鈥淚 was trying to find him.鈥�

She did. Anthony earned a scholarship to study virtually with the school this summer. After that? A scholarship from Ballet Beyond Borders,聽, should enable him to train in the United States next year.聽

鈥淩eminds me of the beauty of my people,鈥� Oscar-winning actor Viola Davis tweeted when the video surfaced. 鈥淲e create, soar ... despite the brutal obstacles that have been put in front of us! Our people can fly!!!鈥�