Sport and Ethnicity

I believe that in many movies there is a portrayal of sports in African American lifestyle. Looking back at Hoop Dreams and referencing to the movie the Blind Side, I believe that sports was a way of life and also a means of a possible successful future. In Hoop Dreams, both the boys needed to make it big and play in the NBA in order to have financial security. They also loved the sport. They moved schools and made sacrifices in order to have a chance to make it big. In the film Blind Side, Michael the protagonist, needed to succeed in football in order to go to higher education. Unlike the boys in Hoop Dreams, Michael was successful in making it pro. I would say that in these two examples it shows sports relevance in African American culture. I wouldn't say that sport is damaging race; however, I do believe that the portrayals of African Americans in sports film is often portrayed as a lower class individual who needs sports in order to make it big and be successful. While this can create a dramatic lively movie, I believe it reinforces the idea that African Americans can only be successful through sports. It also once again implies that anyone will be successful in the sporting industry if they work hard and overcome adversity. I think that through this portrayal, we are reinforcing racial and social injustice.