Halle Berry

I enjoyed your cover story, "Life At The Top: Halle Berry At 40 Reveals How Power, Passion And, Just Maybe, Parenthood Drive Her Future" (May 2007). At age 40 she is truly on top of her game. As part of the EBONY Power 150, Halle has spent 20 years creating a successful Hollywood film career. Today she is one of the most influential African-American actors, commanding eight-figure salaries per movie. It's good to see that she is now focusing on producing films and television projects. We need more positive Black images on screen, and I hope her future projects will address this need.

Being raised in a single-parent home for most of her life, Halle was able to overcome numerous obstacles, and find a way to make a positive impact in her life. I was pleasantly surprised to see that she has been spending time volunteering at the Jenesse Center for Abused Women in Los Angeles. Although she was ordered to spend 200 hours of community service resulting from a misdemeanor traffic charge in 2000, she has continued to give back to the community, by raising funds and working at the center on weekends. The more we give back, the better off we all will be.

It's clear that not having a father-figure during her early years has influenced Halle's attitude toward men, and has impacted her personal male relationships. Nevertheless, her ability to overcome and create a sense of empowerment can be positive examples for our young teen girls. I would like to see Halle, as well as other influential African-Americans, mentoring more of our young boys and girls by providing guidance and direction. But Halle's deep-rooted desire to have a child (with or without a man in the home) concerns me. We need fewer unwed mothers, not more. I'm sure that Halle must realize that many young girls look up to her, and having a child out of wedlock certainly would send the wrong message to them.

Robert I. Scales Jr.

Chicago, Ill.

COPYRIGHT 2007 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning