By: Chris McManigal
It was 9 years ago that most of us started getting acquainted with Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama. She was poised, fashionable, outspoken and it didn’t take long to know that she was not simply an extension of her soon-to-be-President husband, Barack.
Since that time as we’ve gotten to know her better some have certainly criticized her, but for the most part she will end her time as the First Lady on a high note, loved by many, respected by most and remembered by all.
Michelle Obama was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois to a working-class family. She graduated High School one year early from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in 1981 then went straight from there to Princeton. She graduated from Princeton with hon
ors with a BA in Sociology in 1985 then completed her education in 1988 when she received her Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School.
She initially worked in the area of intellectual property law, but decided to take a different route and focus on public service instead. She worked for the Mayor’s office and then the public planning development department in Chicago. That experience spring boarded her career in community service, which she was still actively involved in even up until shortly before Barack Obama was sworn in as President.
As FLOTUS, unlike many of her predecessors, she was frequently in the public eye. One of her main concerns has been promoting healthy eating which prompted the creation of the first vegetable garden and installation of bee hives at the White House. Michelle has also promoted healthy eating for school-age children by championing healthy school lunches and launching a program called Let’s Move, which encourages children to get engaged in sports instead of being sedentary.
She also authored a book on the subject of healthy eating called American Grown, which was published in 2012.
One thing that Michelle Obama will perhaps be remembered for the most is her outstanding oratory ability, most recently witnessed while campaigning for Hillary Clinton. Given her history of making memorable, compassionate and powerful speeches, many have speculated about whether Michelle has the intention of ever running for public office herself. At 51, she certainly has the time to do so, but she has made no statements regarding that possibility.
