Michelle LaVaughn Robinson was born on January 17, 1964 on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. Robinson grew up attending the Chicago Public school system, while living in a modest home with her mother, father, and brother. After her high school graduation, she moved onto Princeton University where she studied Sociology, and African American Studies.
Graduating from Princeton cum laude, Robinson went to Harvard Law School to become an attorney. In 1998, she joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin. It was at this position that she met Barack Obama, the man who would become her husband.
After a few years of working at the law firm, Michelle Obama decided to pursue her true calling in life by serving those in her community. She became the assistant commissioner of planning and development in Chicago’s City Hall, and soon after, she became the founding executive director of the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program that helps to prepare youth for public service.
Mrs. Obama joined the University of Chicago staff with an aim to bring the campus and surrounding community together. As associate Dean of Student Services, she launched the first community service program, and volunteerism grew.
In addition to her professional duties, Obama became a mother to Malia in 1998, and in 2001, Sasha was born. In 2008, Barack Obama became the first African American President in United States history, and she became the first African American First Lady.
During her husband’s Presidency, Michelle continued her love of public service on a larger scale. She established four campaigns in order to support children, veterans, women, and people of color.
In 2010, Obama developed Let’s Move! In order to motivate children, and address the growing childhood obesity epidemic, educators, athletes, medical professionals, and more worked to encourage the younger population. She also made sure to provide healthier options for school lunches.
In 2011, Michelle Obama partnered with second lady, Dr. Jill Biden, to establish Joining Forces in support of service members, veterans, and their families in terms of education, wellness, and employment opportunities.
In 2014, the First Lady launched the Reach Higher Initiative in order to inspire young people across America to take charge of their future. The goal was to encourage the younger community to complete their education, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.
Along with her husband, the President, Michelle Obama created Let Girls Learn, a U..S government-wide initiative to help girls all over the world pursue their education, empowering and supporting their efforts to grow into strong, educated women.
Since the end of her term as First Lady, Michelle Obama has written her own autobiography, Becoming, sharing the behind the scenes stories of her life, personal struggles, and accomplishments. To this day, Obama inspires women all over to rise up and grow into the best version of themselves despite any obstacles that may arise.
Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine.
