Superman, Spiderman, and Wonder Woman are not the only heroes that people look up to. Many people find that their own personal modern-day heroes show just as many heroic traits as comic book heroes do. In my opinion, I see Lin-Manuel Miranda as my personal modern day hero. Lin-Manuel was born into a poor Puerto Rican family in Manhattan, NY on January 16, 1980. He grew up listening to showtunes and hip-hop music. When Miranda was older, he wrote his first play, In the Heights, which depicted growing up in a poor Puerto Rican neighborhood. Then, he spent six years creating Hamilton, an award-winning play about the life of Alexander Hamilton. Throughout his journey, he has stood up for what he believes in, stayed loyal to his home, and changed young people’s minds. Lin-Manuel Miranda is my modern day hero because he shows courage, loyalty, and wisdom.

One of the reasons that Lin-Manuel Miranda is my personal modern-day hero is how he displays courage. He shows his courage by standing up for things he believes in, even if no one else believes in him. For example, he does this through his award-winning Broadway show, Hamilton. Miranda states that he chose to write a play about someone who he thinks embodies hip-hop, Alexander Hamilton. Prior to this occurring, no one would have ever thought to write a hip-hop musical about the first Treasurer of America. When Lin-Manuel Miranda was invited to perform at the White House Poetry Jam in 2009, he sang the opening song to Hamilton. Lin-Manuel gave some background on his ideas for the future play, and everyone laughed in his face. However, he continued to stand up for what he believed in. Within the next six years, he managed to pull together an inspiring two-hour long play that contains humor, romance, sadness, and historical context all in one. Lin-Manuel Miranda is my modern day hero because of how he shows how courageous he is.

Another reason that Lin-Manuel Miranda is a modern-day hero is because of his loyalty to his country. Miranda was raised in Manhattan, NY, but his extended family is from Puerto Rico. He grew up as a poor kid in a Puerto Rican family. Even though he has become very famous, he has not lost sight of his roots. The first play that he ever wrote, In the Heights, was about growing up in a poor Puerto Rican neighborhood. He did this to spread awareness of what it was truly like living in that tough situation. Recently, Puerto Rico has been going through a debt crisis and a suffering from a hurricane. Lin-Manuel Miranda has been standing up and speaking out for his country. He is trying to raise awareness for what is going on in his home country. Even though Lin-Manuel has become rich and famous, he has not lost sight of what is truly important. In my opinion, Lin-Manuel Miranda is my modern day hero because of his loyalty.

The last reason that Lin-Manuel Miranda is my modern day hero is because of his wisdom. I think that Miranda showed wisdom by taking six years to write Hamilton, all while being historically accurate. Lin-Manuel even wrote the entire play by himself. Lin-Manuel Miranda was constantly checking to make sure that all of the information was historically correct. He also actually sat and wrote Hamilton in the bedroom of Hamilton’s greatest enemy, Aaron Burr, to get inspiration for the production. Through the hip-hop aspect of the musical, he relates to the younger generation. This type of music allows the younger generation to become more interested in history. This allows teenagers and young adults become excited about learning about the beginning of our new country. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a very intelligent man who is full of amazing ideas. Miranda’s wisdom is another reason why he is my modern day hero.

A true hero, no matter whom it may be, displays traits such as wisdom, courage, and loyalty. Even though Lin-Manuel Miranda cannot fly or save the day, he is still my hero because he represents these traits. Lin-Manuel has taught me to stand up for what I believe in, never lose sight of what is truly important, and to never give up. He has pushed himself to be in the place he is in today. Lin-Manuel has stayed true to his country and not forgotten about them no matter how famous he becomes. He has also worked so hard to prove that he wants to be taken seriously. In my eyes, Lin-Manuel Miranda is my modern day hero because he exemplifies courage, loyalty, and wisdom.