Hi, I am Alexandra Shungodzo Muis d'Entremont-Govere. I am 13 and a Zimbabwean. Right now I live in the United States. I have been training here as a gymnast and a ballet dancer. 

Zimbabwe was once called Rhodesia. In Rhodesia people of color did not have the same rights, privileges and opportunities that the white Rhodesians had. 

While Zimbabwe has been independent for 20 years now, I am its first black artistic gymnast. In Zimbabwe we are still having racial problems. I just wish people in Zimbabwe would be more respectful of each other regardless of racial and ethnic heritage. We are all Zimbabweans!

It is no longer legal to keep people of color out of ballet and gymnastics, but non-whites are still not very involved since the opportunities are so limited. It is my goal to open up the access to both artistic gymnastics and ballet to females of color. 

Last year I achieved one of my goals. I went to the All Africa Games, an International Olympic Committee sanctioned event and represented Zimbabwe as an artistic gymnast. I became the first person of color in my country to represent Zimbabwe as a women's artistic gymnast. 

Historically, gymnastic and ballet training and events were held in whites-only communities and in whites-only schools, so that is why I am the first. For my age and experience, I did well at the Games. Everyone thought that I could get Africa's first Olympic medal for gymnastics in the 2004 Olympics if I continued training as a gymnast. That became a dream of mine.

I have another goal though, and if I don't attend to it now, it will pass me by. I want to represent Zimbabwe in the Prix de Lausanne and I will be old enough to participate in 2003. No dancer from Rhodesia/Zimbabwean has done that.

I have decided to focus on ballet now so that I can go to the Prix in 2003 and have a chance to return in 2004 if I don't earn a medal on the first try. I have never heard of any black female ballerina from Africa being successful as a ballerina internationally (though perhaps there are some), even few white Africans have done that. I really want to break some barriers for Africa and for all Africans of all beautiful shades of color that we have there!

I am now a member of a regional apprentice ballet company and I have had some seasonal roles with the Eugene Ballet Company and with the Chamber Ballet. I help with the younger classes and I really like to do that. I want to attend a university with a strong program in both ballet and physics.

I hope it is possible for me to dance for Zimbabwe in a few years, but I think it is important to become educated and help in our communities too. During Rhodesia, it was a miracle that my dad got educated, so to me I understand the value of education, and what that privilege means. 

I also understand what it is to be privileged. That is why it is important to use our power and privilege to help others in our communities who do not have power and privilege. We have to help them and also try to empower them. 

Right now I am involved in a project to help some AIDS orphans in Tanzania, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. If you want to join our project (Dreamers Help in Africa) just e-mail me. You may also visit my web site for more information and photos.

Thanks,

Alexandra