Happy Valentine’s Day, @BarackObama! I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to navigate life with. Love you! 💘
Photo credit: Amos Jackson III
The vicious, unjustified beating of Tyre Nichols and his ultimate death at the hands of five Memphis police officers is just the latest, painful reminder of how far America still has to go in fixing how we police our streets. Along with mourning Tyre and supporting his family, it’s up to all of us to mobilize for lasting change.
To learn more about how communities can reimagine public safety to prevent both crime and injustice, go to www.obama.org/anguish-and-action.
For a long time, Toni Morrison has served as an inspiration for both Barack and me. We had a chance to celebrate her in 2012 when Barack named her as one of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of our nation’s highest honors.
And in chapter three of my book #TheLightWeCarry, I share a powerful parenting lesson from her about greeting children with gladness, lighting up for them when they walk into a room, and showing them that they are enough just the way they are. It’s a lesson that resonates deeply with me, because it’s how my own mother treated me and something I later tried to apply to my own girls.
That’s Toni Morrison for you. Whether she’s moving you with the written word or sharing lessons from her own life, she had a way of uncovering the beauty that was always there. Even though she’s gone, we’re all so lucky that her wisdom will always be with us. #BlackHistoryMonth
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! I’m so proud to celebrate women around the world who are breaking barriers in #stem — including Betty, a member of the @girlsopportunityalliance from Kenya who gives girls with disabilities access to #stem education with @theactionfoundation and teaches them to build robots.
As a student with a disability, Betty had to fight for her own education, and now she is determined to pay it forward by supporting the next generation of women engineers and scientists. In Betty’s words: “The girls I work with are exceptional. I show them they can build robots and that the sky is the limit for their dreams.”
Betty, I’m so proud of you and everything you are doing for your community.
To learn more about the Girls Opportunity Alliance and young women like Betty, check out the link in my bio. #womeninscience
Ten years ago today, we lost 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton to the tragic epidemic of gun violence. A few days before she died, Hadiya had attended Barack’s second inauguration as part of a majorette squad taking part in the festivities.
The more I learned about this young woman, the more I understood the extraordinary light and potential she had to offer. She was a star student, an active member of her church, and someone who her family and friends adored.
To this day, Barack and I still think about her story. That’s why we are proud to honor her legacy through the Hadiya Pendleton Winter Garden at the Obama Presidential Center. When the Center is complete, we hope this garden can be a way to share Hadiya’s light and help young people find their own place in the world.
For #BlackHistoryMonth, I wanted to share the work of three talented artists – @4everestherr, @melarieodelusi, @eeni_edit – who shared the art they made after reading #TheLightWeCarry. I love these!
For #BlackHistoryMonth, I wanted to share the work of three talented artists – @4everestherr, @melarieodelusi, @eeni_edit – who shared the art they made after reading #TheLightWeCarry. I love these!
For #BlackHistoryMonth, I wanted to share the work of three talented artists – @4everestherr, @melarieodelusi, @eeni_edit – who shared the art they made after reading #TheLightWeCarry. I love these!
In my book The Light We Carry, I share some of the tools and practices that have helped me along my journey. I recently had some friends share what uplifts them. Here are their reflections!
For me, the practice I’ve had—and the effort I make—in finding and appreciating the light inside of other people has become one of my most valuable tools for overcoming uncertainty and keeping my hopefulness intact.
I’d love to hear from you. What’s a practice or purpose that lifts you up? #TheLightWeCarry
Last year, after my book The Light We Carry came out, I had the chance to share stories, laughs, and life lessons with some close friends and a lot of folks like you across the country.
Now, I’m thrilled to be able to share these conversations with all of you. On March 7, The Light, my new podcast from @HigherGroundMedia, will launch on @Audible!
These conversations touch on so many of the issues we’re all dealing with—navigating relationships, building good friendships, understanding ourselves, overcoming fear, and so much more. I hope The Light Podcast inspires each of you to find and share your light with others. For more information, click the link in my bio.
Today on the #InternationalDayofEducation, I am celebrating girls like 13-year-old Esther from Uganda, who’s working hard to achieve her big dreams—no matter what challenges life throws her way. Esther is a part of @GirlUpUganda, an educational initiative the @GirlsOpportunityAlliance is working to support through our #GetHerThere campaign.
Esther dreams of becoming a psychologist one day to help people in her community live happy and healthy lives—and more than that, she hopes to be a good friend and mentor to others in need of a hand on their own journeys. Whenever I hear stories like hers, I am reminded about how much talent, potential, and resilience girls hold in their hearts, whether in Uganda, Afghanistan, Ukraine, or here in the United States. And it’s why I’ll never stop working to support global girls education, which in many ways has been set back not only because of the pandemic, but also because of war and uncertainty across the world.
So, Esther, I want you to know that I am proud of you and that I am rooting for you, the girls in your program, and the girls around the world who are working to break down barriers to their success. You deserve everything you dream of, and I can’t wait to watch the ways you shape our world for the better in the years ahead.
This #BlackHistoryMonth, I’m celebrating the stories of Black people from our past and present who’ve broken barriers and made history. Today, I want to share @limmiepulliam’s story.
Limmie is a tenor with an incredible voice who dreamed of performing in operas. He started his career by attending the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio, but struggled finding opportunities because of the way the industry approached body diversity. This actually led him to take a 12-year break from singing.
But in 2008, while working as a field organizer on my husband’s campaign, Limmie gave an impromptu performance singing the national anthem—helping to reignite his passion. Since then, he’s been rebuilding his voice to make his dream of performing in an opera come true.
These days, he’s performing at Carnegie Hall with the Oberlin Orchestra, and he was even the first Black singer to perform in the role of Radamès in Verdi’s Aida at the Metropolitan Opera. Limmie, I’m so proud of you. Your story is incredible and I hope you know how much you are inspiring people to never give up on their dreams. 👏🏾
Last week, schools across the country celebrated National School Counseling Week. Thank you to our nation’s school counselors for the life-changing work that they do to help their students achieve their dreams and realize their full potential.
This year’s School Counselor of the Year, Meredith Draughn, is one to be celebrated. As a school counselor at B. Everett Jordan Elementary School in Graham, North Carolina, Meredith has worked to remove barriers to learning for students in every classroom at her school. And she does so by getting her entire community involved. Meredith invites local high school and college students to come to her school to help tutor students and teach them important lessons like how to make healthy decisions.
I am so inspired by Meredith—and I know her students are too. Let’s give it up for her and all the school counselors who go above and beyond for our nation’s students. We owe you so much gratitude today and every day! #ReachHigher
Last week, schools across the country celebrated National School Counseling Week. Thank you to our nation’s school counselors for the life-changing work that they do to help their students achieve their dreams and realize their full potential.
This year’s School Counselor of the Year, Meredith Draughn, is one to be celebrated. As a school counselor at B. Everett Jordan Elementary School in Graham, North Carolina, Meredith has worked to remove barriers to learning for students in every classroom at her school. And she does so by getting her entire community involved. Meredith invites local high school and college students to come to her school to help tutor students and teach them important lessons like how to make healthy decisions.
I am so inspired by Meredith—and I know her students are too. Let’s give it up for her and all the school counselors who go above and beyond for our nation’s students. We owe you so much gratitude today and every day! #ReachHigher
Last week, schools across the country celebrated National School Counseling Week. Thank you to our nation’s school counselors for the life-changing work that they do to help their students achieve their dreams and realize their full potential.
This year’s School Counselor of the Year, Meredith Draughn, is one to be celebrated. As a school counselor at B. Everett Jordan Elementary School in Graham, North Carolina, Meredith has worked to remove barriers to learning for students in every classroom at her school. And she does so by getting her entire community involved. Meredith invites local high school and college students to come to her school to help tutor students and teach them important lessons like how to make healthy decisions.
I am so inspired by Meredith—and I know her students are too. Let’s give it up for her and all the school counselors who go above and beyond for our nation’s students. We owe you so much gratitude today and every day! #ReachHigher
Last week, schools across the country celebrated National School Counseling Week. Thank you to our nation’s school counselors for the life-changing work that they do to help their students achieve their dreams and realize their full potential.
This year’s School Counselor of the Year, Meredith Draughn, is one to be celebrated. As a school counselor at B. Everett Jordan Elementary School in Graham, North Carolina, Meredith has worked to remove barriers to learning for students in every classroom at her school. And she does so by getting her entire community involved. Meredith invites local high school and college students to come to her school to help tutor students and teach them important lessons like how to make healthy decisions.
I am so inspired by Meredith—and I know her students are too. Let’s give it up for her and all the school counselors who go above and beyond for our nation’s students. We owe you so much gratitude today and every day! #ReachHigher
Barack, @BChesky, and I can’t wait to welcome a new class of Voyagers!
Applications are now open, so if you or someone you know is a rising college junior with a passion for helping others, then I hope you’ll consider applying for the Voyager Scholarship at the link in my bio by March 22.
This #BlackHistoryMonth, I wanted to give a shoutout to some incredible Black-owned bookstores that have supported The Light We Carry on and off the tour.
📚@harrietts_bookshop
📚@unclebobbies
📚@marcus.books
📚@mahoganybooks
📚@semicolonchi
📚@esowonbooks
I’m so grateful for all the ways they have championed my book and helped make these past few months so special.
Tag a Black-owned bookstore in your community and tell me more about them!
This #BlackHistoryMonth, I wanted to give a shoutout to some incredible Black-owned bookstores that have supported The Light We Carry on and off the tour.
📚@harrietts_bookshop
📚@unclebobbies
📚@marcus.books
📚@mahoganybooks
📚@semicolonchi
📚@esowonbooks
I’m so grateful for all the ways they have championed my book and helped make these past few months so special.
Tag a Black-owned bookstore in your community and tell me more about them!
I am so proud of all the passionate leaders who are joining the #ObamaLeaders: Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe cohorts! I hope you’ll take some time to learn more about these inspiring changemakers at Obama.org/Leaders.
Barack and I believe in you, and we can’t wait to see all the good that comes from your time working together.
I am so proud of all the passionate leaders who are joining the #ObamaLeaders: Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe cohorts! I hope you’ll take some time to learn more about these inspiring changemakers at Obama.org/Leaders.
Barack and I believe in you, and we can’t wait to see all the good that comes from your time working together.
I am so proud of all the passionate leaders who are joining the #ObamaLeaders: Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe cohorts! I hope you’ll take some time to learn more about these inspiring changemakers at Obama.org/Leaders.
Barack and I believe in you, and we can’t wait to see all the good that comes from your time working together.
I am so proud of all the passionate leaders who are joining the #ObamaLeaders: Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe cohorts! I hope you’ll take some time to learn more about these inspiring changemakers at Obama.org/Leaders.
Barack and I believe in you, and we can’t wait to see all the good that comes from your time working together.
I’m proud to join @WhenWeAllVote to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth. This month — and every month — we’re working together to empower Black communities, protect our democracy, and build a stronger nation. Thank you for joining us in this work and making your voice heard.
