I think the significance of sport in the African American culture is extremely important. In this culture the importance of working hard and exceeding expectations is what will help you be successful in life through sport. I believe that people think that if you belong to the African American culture it is set that you have to be talented and athletic and the pressure of making it is high and expected. The Hollywood portrayal of the African American athlete is always the same. Talent, athleticism, potential is portrayed in Hollywood movies and I the documentary Hoop Dreams. On the other hand, Hollywood forgets to get in touch with the reality of things and this is what the documentary shows. Hollywood, always presents the character from the African American culture as being a good athlete, therefore they turn out to be successful. But, in Hoop Dreams we can see how it does not always turn out that way for all athletes, and many of them face a lot of struggle to make it to the top and in the end they don't even make it. I think sport is damaging Black Americans because sport expects African Americans to all be amazing and make it to the top, when in reality many do, but at the same time many don't. This mentality and Hollywood films preserve the myth of race because it is educating the public in a way in which the African American culture is expected to excel in sports and the reality of "life" is simply not a problem in their eyes.
Neira Ortiz-Ruiz
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