The first lady dropped some wisdom every young girl should truly take to heart.
On Tuesday, Michelle Obama discussed the fact that there are 62 million girls around the world who are not able to receive an education.
We often take for granted how lucky we are to attend college, continue our education, and go after our goals. Our realities, are often times far-off dreams for too many girls.
The #62MillionGirls initiative is part of the recently launched Let Girls Learn campaign that raises awareness about the 62 million girls without the opportunity to get an education. Let Girls Learn was started in the hopes to ensure that all girls have access to education.
When Mrs. Obama was asked to give advice to girls who may think boys find their intelligence unattractive, she urged the 1,000 school-girl audience to remove such these people from their lives, “whether that’s your boo or your best friend.”
Then, she shared some mic-dropping advice (literally).
(Picture is property of Huffington Post)
Mrs. Obama boldly said, “There is no boy at this age that is cute enough or interesting enough to stop you from getting your education. If I had worried about who liked me and who thought I was cute when I was your age, I wouldn’t be married to the president of the United States.”
Hopefully, the girls who receive her message and listen to it, will shoot beyond marrying the president, to becoming the president.
Gender inequality is still a topic so relevant to our modern age, and it stems from inequality within education.
Girls’ education is both an essential right and a critical initiative that by providing girls with an education, helps break the cycle of poverty.
According to The United Nations Children’s Fund, educated women are less likely to marry early, against their will, and be successful within a career. These women are less likely to die in childbirth, more likely to have healthy babies, and are more likely to send their children to school.
When all children and all young adults have access to a quality education rooted in equal rights and gender equality, it produces a ripple effect of opportunity that can influence generations to come in positive ways.
Obama added, “What is important right now is who you’re going to be and how you’re developing that part of yourself.”
Preach, Mrs. Obama!
Through the midterms, research papers, and all-nighters, let’s not forget that as college girls, we often forget how amazing this opportunity is to attend a university to continue our education.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRI1e86ADBE
(pictures belong to their owners and are not property of Her Campus)