Evita (Eva) Perón
Eva delighted in the love and cheers of the crowd.
She couldn’t believe it was all for her. “I’ve come such a long way,” she thought to herself. As she smiled and waved to the sea of faces in the courtyard below, she let her mind float back over time. . .
Eva Ibarguren Duarte was born in 1919 as the 5th child to an unwed mother. Although the law frowned upon illegitimate children, it wasn’t unusual for wealthy men to have several families in rural areas of Argentina at that time. When Eva was one year old, her father returned to his legal family leaving Doña Juana Ibarguren and her family impoverished. All Juan Duarte left to his “illegitimate” family was a document declaring the five children were his so they could bear his last name. Doña Juana was reduced to living in the poorest part of town and supporting her children by sewing clothing for neighbors.
Eventually Eva’s older brother moved the struggling family into a larger house which they turned into a boarding house and restaurant. It was during this time that Eva became enthralled with acting and participated in all of her school’s plays and concerts.
She still shudders at the memory of her mother’s plans for marrying her off to one of the boarders in their house. Eva begged and cajoled her mother to allow her to go to the big city of Buenos Aires. “Mama, please – there is no future for me here,” she pleaded. Eva’s mother finally gave in and accompanied her daughter to the big city where Eva was hired as an actress at a radio station.
Changing her name to Evita, she spent the next 9 years working in radio productions as well as the theater, doing some modeling and making movies. But radio (there was no TV in Argentina yet) was where she thrived and she became one of the highest paid radio actresses in Argentina.
Evita was suddenly pulled from her reverie. The crowd was chanting her name. She lifted both hands to her mouth and dramatically threw kisses to the adoring throng. Their roar dimmed as she remembered the first time she saw her husband – the man whose side she’d never left for the past 7 years.
A devastating earthquake had mobilized Colonel Juan Perón, Secretary of Labor, to establish a fund for the victims. As a fundraiser, he organized an “artistic festival” and invited radio and film actors to participate. It was during the festivities that Juan Perón met and fell in love with Eva Duarte and they became inseparable.
Eva and Juan were married in December 1945, the year the Labor Party chose Perón as their candidate for President. For the very first time in Argentina’s history, a candidate’s wife campaigned and traveled with him. At each stop along the campaign trail, Eva handed out buttons and personally greeted the people. She even represented him when he was too ill to speak.
When Perón assumed the Presidency, unlike other first ladies, Evita chose to take an active political role. She immersed herself in serving her country; devoting her tireless energy to the disadvantaged, the working class, the elderly, children and women (she was instrumental in getting them the vote in 1951).
In 1950 Evita was diagnosed with cancer, but she refused to slow down. She created medical clinics for the workers, distributed subsidies to the poor, as well as clothing, food and household goods. She created entire neighborhoods of affordable housing, school food programs, jobs for the unemployed, equipment for hospitals, water and sanitary facilities for low income neighborhoods, and pensions for people over 60. (This is just a tiny, tiny list of her vast accomplishments.)
Evita became a legend in her own time.
At age 33, Evita died of cancer. While there is a great deal of legend, myth and misinformation circulating about this driven woman, no one can deny the passion she had for her country and the incredible work she did on its behalf.
Evita never forgot what it felt like to be poor. She knew what it meant to work hard. She understood how it felt to be discarded, criticized and degraded. But when she found herself in the position of being able to make a difference for others, she threw herself into it with all she had. What she accomplished in 7 short years was remarkable.
You are not expected to do what you cannot do – you are only responsible for doing what you can. When you find yourself in the position of being able to stand up and make a difference, be like Eva Perón and do everything you can to make it happen.
Like a song says, “It’s not who you knew, it’s not what you did, it’s how you lived.”
Ginny Dye, Sandi Valentine & Suess Karlsson are a team of writers who all share a passion to empower and motivate everyone who they touch through their writing. Their stories are a gift to the world! Learn how to create the success you dream of, overcome obstacles and challenges, and live a life of grace and love. Please visit us at http://www.firefliesfortheheart.com Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/evita-eva-pern-1533827.html