Ever since Barack Obama was inaugurated President of the United States in 2008, his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, has inspired and stunned the nation with her intellect, class, and empathetic nature. She is seen as a role model for people of every kind across the nation, and is arguably one of the most significant and iconic modern role models for women.
Prior to becoming the first African-American First Lady of the United States and before she got married, Michelle graduated from both Princeton University and Harvard University (this eventually made her the third First Lady to possess a post-graduate degree). Michelle was a successful lawyer at the Sidley & Austin law firm of Chicago, Illinois where she met her future husband. She also held many public sector positions in the Chicago city government, such as Assistant to the Mayor and Assistant Commissioner of Planning and Development.
During her time as First Lady, Michelle Obama has kick-started many programs to advocate for healthy families, service members and their families, higher education, and international adolescent girls’ education. Some examples of these programs are the 2010 Let’s Move! campaign which aimed to tackle childhood obesity, the 2011 Joining Forces campaign which advocated the support of American veterans and service members, the 2014 Reach Higher campaign which encouraged postsecondary education, and the 2015 Let Girls Learn campaign which encouraged girls all over the world to both stay in school and continue to further their education.
Not only is Michelle extremely passionate about advocating the issues listed above, but she also makes a point to practice what she preaches by setting an example for the American people. For example, she herself practices the same healthy eating and exercise habits that she advocates in the Let’s Move campaign; she even released a short video demonstrating her workout routine, including weight lifting, jump roping, and boxing, to the public.
Besides being a strong, successful, independent woman, Michelle also proves herself to be very caring ans supportive, which she expresses through her parenting of her two beautiful teenaged daughters, Malia and Sasha, and her continual encouragement of her husband. From actively involving herself in her daughters’ health and academia to being unrelentingly supportive of her husband’s two presidential campaigns and terms, it is not hard to see that Michelle is a strong, loving wife and mother that her family can always count on.
First Lady Michelle Obama has achieved an incredible amount already in her life, and obviously this amazing woman has achieved a lot more in her life than simply marrying the President of the United States. She is an amazing role model for women, as she and she alone worked hard to be the woman that she is today. Although Barack Obama’s term will end in the months to come, Michelle Obama will continue to be one of the most powerful and influential role models for women in this country, not just as the First Lady, but as a fellow woman.