Gravity, Grit, and Greatness: Ochaco Uraraka’s Tribute to Black Excellence
Rise Beyond Legacy x My Hero Academia Final Season Problogs
By Sterling, Founder of Black Cards Of History LLC
Introduction
When I think of Ochaco Uraraka from My Hero Academia, I don’t just see a bubbly student hero with anti-gravity powers. I see someone who walks into every room with her heart forward, humility intact, and an unshakable sense of purpose — a purpose that directly mirrors what Black excellence often represents: rising above challenges with both joy and resilience.
In the final season of the series, Ochaco’s growth is undeniable. And through my Rise Beyond Legacy x My Hero Academia lens, she becomes more than a supporting character — she becomes a symbol of allyship, economic justice, and the kind of emotional intelligence that’s sorely needed when celebrating and acknowledging Black history.
Section 1: A Hero Who Feels Before She Fights
Ochaco has always been the one who listens before she leaps. While other characters often lead with power or intellect, Ochaco leads with compassion. And that’s exactly why I rated her an 8/10 in this crossover. She doesn’t pretend to have all the answers, but she’s brave enough to ask the right questions — a trait that makes her a beautiful advocate for justice.
She doesn’t just want to be a hero — she wants to make life easier for her family. That financial drive is deeply relatable in Black communities where generations have had to dream not just for survival, but for liberation through economic empowerment.
Section 2: Ochaco's Black History Month Initiative
If Ochaco were curating a Black History Month program at U.A. High, I imagine she'd create something heartfelt, focused, and anchored in hope. Her project? A showcase of Black pioneers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) — a sector that too often overlooks the brilliance of Black trailblazers.
Names like Dr. Mae Jemison, the first Black woman astronaut, and Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician whose calculations helped land men on the moon, would be at the center of her display. Ochaco would draw powerful parallels between their stories and her own reason for becoming a pro-hero: lifting the weight of generational struggle from her family’s shoulders.
Her lens would be personal, yet universal. She wouldn’t talk about Black excellence — she’d talk with it, weaving it into her narrative as a young woman who dreams big, but never forgets the people she’s fighting for.
Section 3: If Ochaco Were a YouTuber…
Let’s say Ochaco had to do a video assignment for school — a YouTube-style upload for Black History Month. You can bet it would be bright, emotional, and deeply respectful.
Title: "How Black Heroes Inspire Me"
In the video, Ochaco would probably sit in her dorm room, with a few floating notebooks as props (because of course). She’d smile nervously at first but then speak straight from the soul:
“I’ve always wanted to be a hero who makes people feel lighter — not just physically, but emotionally. And when I learned about Black heroes who carried the weight of history, discrimination, and pain… but still rose to change the world? That inspired me to push harder. Because if they could break gravity like that… maybe I can, too.”
She’d spotlight Black astronauts, engineers, and scientists. She might even end the video with a quick animation of her lifting a Black history textbook into the air, watching it float upward — symbolic of how she wants history to be elevated, not buried.
Section 4: Why Ochaco’s Story Matters in the Context of Black History
Ochaco’s journey is proof that economic justice and personal ambition don’t cancel out kindness. Her admiration for those who have fought systems of inequality — whether for civil rights or representation in STEM — wouldn’t come from a place of pity, but from genuine awe.
Her allyship would feel natural because it’s not about performative gestures — it’s about standing beside others, not in front of them. And that, in my opinion, is how Black history should be honored: through collaboration, compassion, and courage.
Final Thoughts:
Ochaco Uraraka may not be the loudest voice in the room, but her dedication to learning and supporting others would make her a vital part of any Black History Month celebration. She doesn’t try to be a savior — she tries to be a student. And that posture of humility? That’s where true impact begins.
In a world where people often try to center themselves in other people’s narratives, Ochaco would use her platform to uplift. Whether in a classroom, a community event, or a YouTube video, she’d help history float — not away from us, but toward the light.
Rating Recap: Ochaco Uraraka – 8/10
✔️ Compassionate and sincere
✔️ Connects economic justice with personal ambition
✔️ Inspired by history, not overshadowing it
✔️ Uses her platform to educate, not to center herself