Misty is the youngest of four children from her mother’s second marriage and has two younger half-siblings, one each from her mother’s third and fourth marriages. Her father, Doug Copeland, is German American and African American, while her mother, Sylvia DelaCerna, is Italian American and African American and was adopted by African American parents. Misty Copeland was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in the San Pedro community of Los Angeles, California. Her story is as incredible, as it is inspirational.

If you get a chance you should read her New York Times Bestselling memoir, ‘ Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina’, co-written with award-winning journalist and author Charisse Jones, published March 2014.

Whereas Beyoncé and Serena Williams have had the full support of their parents and notably their fathers who helped steer their careers from childhood to global dominance, Misty had a completely different background and was probably in truth more held back in her career by her family than guided forward. They are all strong minded independent women who are proud of their race, have worked extremely hard, breaking down barriers, to achieve their goals and dreams, their powerful, athletic physiques helping them raise their performances to a level the world has never seen before.

And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.”Īlong with Beyoncé and Serena Williams, Misty Copeland is one of my modern day idols, I find all three of them truly inspirational and they are the original and in my mind the ultimate Bootylicious Babes.

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