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Brooklyn Teenager on Track to Become First African-American Female Chess Master
http://updates.jezebel.com/post/34736038110/brooklyn-teenager-on-track-to-become-first
In the whole damn world, people. THE WHOLE GODDAMNED WORLD.
Brooklyn’s Rochelle Ballantyne, 17, is poised to become the first African-American female chess master in the world. So, so awesome. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly love this genius girl anymore, I find out that her chess-playing prowess and inspiration comes from her grandmother. My heart.
She says:
...
In the whole damn world, people. THE WHOLE GODDAMNED WORLD.
Brooklyn’s Rochelle Ballantyne, 17, is poised to become the first African-American female chess master in the world. So, so awesome. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly love this genius girl anymore, I find out that her chess-playing prowess and inspiration comes from her grandmother. My heart.
She says:
When I first started playing, she introduced to me the idea of being the first African-American female chess master. I didn’t think about it much because for me it seemed like an impossible feat, and I didn’t think it could happen. I wasn’t as focused and dedicated as I am now. I didn’t think I was a good chess player—people told me I was, but it wasn’t my mentality at that moment. But then after she died, that really affected me, because she was the one person that always had confidence in me. She never pushed me, and she always respected me for who I was. I have to reach that goal for her.
...
More...
http://www.themarysue.com/rochelle-ballantyne/
Brooklyn native Rochelle Ballantyne is poised on the edge of becoming the world’s first African-American female chess master. And she’s only seventeen. Seventeen.
The teenage chess genius is the only female player featured in the documentary Brooklyn Castle (in theaters now), about the chess program at Brooklyn’s I.S. 318 middle school, where 65 percent of the students live below the federal poverty level yet the chess team has more national championships than any other school in the whole country. Now a high school senior, Ballantyne is heading to the 2012 World Youth Chess Championships in Slovenia this month.
Asked in a Teen Vogue profile about competing in the mostly male-dominated arena of competitive chess, Ballantyne responded:
...
Brooklyn native Rochelle Ballantyne is poised on the edge of becoming the world’s first African-American female chess master. And she’s only seventeen. Seventeen.
The teenage chess genius is the only female player featured in the documentary Brooklyn Castle (in theaters now), about the chess program at Brooklyn’s I.S. 318 middle school, where 65 percent of the students live below the federal poverty level yet the chess team has more national championships than any other school in the whole country. Now a high school senior, Ballantyne is heading to the 2012 World Youth Chess Championships in Slovenia this month.
Asked in a Teen Vogue profile about competing in the mostly male-dominated arena of competitive chess, Ballantyne responded:
“… I like the idea of being the only girl! Winning is just that much more glorious because everyone expects me to lose. But many more girls are getting involved in chess, and I like that. The girls who play chess and go to national tournaments with me are my support system. The boys that I play with don’t understand.”
...
7 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
But then after she died, that really affected me, because she was the one person that always had confidence in me.
Everyone should have someone like that in their life!
You go, Rochelle!
