Michelle LaVaughn Obama (née Robinson, born January 17, 1964) is an American lawyer and the wife of Barack Obama, the Junior United States Senator for Illinois and the 2008 Democratic nominee for President of the United States. She was born and grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. After completing her formal education, she returned to Chicago and went to work for the law firm Sidley Austin, on the staff of the Mayor of Chicago Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Hospitals.
Michelle Obama is the sister of Craig Robinson, men's basketball coach at Oregon State University. She met Barack when he went to work for Sidley Austin. When Barack Obama was elected to the Senate, the Obamas chose to live on Chicago's South Side rather than Washington, D.C.
She has made several appearances on various best-dressed lists and draws frequent comparisons to Jacqueline Kennedy.When her husband is elected president she will be the first African American First Lady of the United States.
Michelle Obama is the sister of Craig Robinson, men's basketball coach at Oregon State University. She met Barack when he went to work for Sidley Austin. When Barack Obama was elected to the Senate, the Obamas chose to live on Chicago's South Side rather than Washington, D.C.
She has made several appearances on various best-dressed lists and draws frequent comparisons to Jacqueline Kennedy.When her husband is elected president she will be the first African American First Lady of the United States.
She met Barack Obama when they were among very few African Americans at their law firm (she has sometimes said only two, others have pointed out there were others in different departments) and she was assigned to mentor him while he was a summer associate. Their relationship started with a business lunch and then a community organization meeting where he first impressed her. The couple's first date was to the Spike Lee movie Do the Right Thing. The couple married in October 1992, and they have two daughters, Malia Ann (born 1998) and Natasha (known as Sasha) (born 2001). Throughout her husband's 2008 campaign for President of the United States, she has made a "commitment to be away overnight only once a week — to campaign only two days a week and be home by the end of the second day" for their two children.
She once requested that Barack, who was then her fiancé, meet her prospective boss, Valerie Jarrett, when considering her first career move.Now, Jarrett is one of her husband’s closest advisors. Early in the presidential race, Michelle Obama did not portray herself as an advisor to her husband. In fact, she was quoted in interviews saying "My job is not a senior adviser."
The Obamas send their daughters to the University of Chicago Lab School, which is a private school affiliated with the University of Chicago. According to an Obama interview on the 2008 season premier of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the couple does not intend to have any more children.
Career
Following law school, she was an associate at the Chicago office of the law firm Sidley Austin, where she first met her husband. At the firm, she worked on marketing and intellectual property. Subsequently, she held public sector positions in the Chicago city government as an Assistant to the Mayor, and as Assistant Commissioner of Planning and Development. In 1993, she became Executive Director for the Chicago office of Public Allies, a non-profit organization encouraging young people to work on social issues in nonprofit groups and government agencies. She worked there nearly four years and set fundraising records for the organization that still stood a dozen years after she left.
In 1996, Obama served as the Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago, where she developed the University's Community Service Center. In 2002, she began working for the University of Chicago Hospitals, first as executive director for community affairs and, beginning May, 2005, as Vice President for Community and External Affairs. She still holds the position, though she is working part time in order to devote more time to being a mother.
With the ascent of her husband as a prominent national politician, she has become a part of pop culture. In May 2006, Essence magazine listed her among "25 of the World's Most Inspiring Women." In July 2007, Vanity Fair magazine listed her among "10 of the World's Best Dressed People." In September 2007, 02138 magazine listed her 58th of "The Harvard 100," a list of the prior year's most influential Harvard alumni. Her husband was ranked fourth. In July 2008, she made a repeat appearance on the Vanity Fair international best dressed list. She also appeared on the 2008 People list of best-dressed women and was praised by the magazine for her "classic and confident" look. Some sources compare her to Jacqueline Kennedy due to her sleek but not overdone style, and other sources such as the New York Times compare her to Barbara Bush as well not only for her fashion sense, but also for her demeanor. Obama's package of attributes is anticipated to be well-suited for the role of First Lady by some.
She served as a salaried board member of TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (NYSE: THS), a major Wal-Mart supplier with whom she cut ties immediately after her husband made comments critical of Wal-Mart at an AFL-CIO forum in Trenton, New Jersey, on May 14, 2007. She serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
According to the couple’s 2006 income tax return, Michelle's salary was $273,618 from the University of Chicago Hospitals, while he had a salary of $157,082 from the United States Senate. The total Obama income, however, was $991,296 including $51,200 she earned as a member of the board of directors of TreeHouse Foods, plus investments and royalties from his books.
Obama has accepted the invitation of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated to become an honorary member.
She once requested that Barack, who was then her fiancé, meet her prospective boss, Valerie Jarrett, when considering her first career move.Now, Jarrett is one of her husband’s closest advisors. Early in the presidential race, Michelle Obama did not portray herself as an advisor to her husband. In fact, she was quoted in interviews saying "My job is not a senior adviser."
The Obamas send their daughters to the University of Chicago Lab School, which is a private school affiliated with the University of Chicago. According to an Obama interview on the 2008 season premier of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the couple does not intend to have any more children.
Career
Following law school, she was an associate at the Chicago office of the law firm Sidley Austin, where she first met her husband. At the firm, she worked on marketing and intellectual property. Subsequently, she held public sector positions in the Chicago city government as an Assistant to the Mayor, and as Assistant Commissioner of Planning and Development. In 1993, she became Executive Director for the Chicago office of Public Allies, a non-profit organization encouraging young people to work on social issues in nonprofit groups and government agencies. She worked there nearly four years and set fundraising records for the organization that still stood a dozen years after she left.
In 1996, Obama served as the Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago, where she developed the University's Community Service Center. In 2002, she began working for the University of Chicago Hospitals, first as executive director for community affairs and, beginning May, 2005, as Vice President for Community and External Affairs. She still holds the position, though she is working part time in order to devote more time to being a mother.
With the ascent of her husband as a prominent national politician, she has become a part of pop culture. In May 2006, Essence magazine listed her among "25 of the World's Most Inspiring Women." In July 2007, Vanity Fair magazine listed her among "10 of the World's Best Dressed People." In September 2007, 02138 magazine listed her 58th of "The Harvard 100," a list of the prior year's most influential Harvard alumni. Her husband was ranked fourth. In July 2008, she made a repeat appearance on the Vanity Fair international best dressed list. She also appeared on the 2008 People list of best-dressed women and was praised by the magazine for her "classic and confident" look. Some sources compare her to Jacqueline Kennedy due to her sleek but not overdone style, and other sources such as the New York Times compare her to Barbara Bush as well not only for her fashion sense, but also for her demeanor. Obama's package of attributes is anticipated to be well-suited for the role of First Lady by some.
She served as a salaried board member of TreeHouse Foods, Inc. (NYSE: THS), a major Wal-Mart supplier with whom she cut ties immediately after her husband made comments critical of Wal-Mart at an AFL-CIO forum in Trenton, New Jersey, on May 14, 2007. She serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
According to the couple’s 2006 income tax return, Michelle's salary was $273,618 from the University of Chicago Hospitals, while he had a salary of $157,082 from the United States Senate. The total Obama income, however, was $991,296 including $51,200 she earned as a member of the board of directors of TreeHouse Foods, plus investments and royalties from his books.
Obama has accepted the invitation of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated to become an honorary member.
Hobbies
Michelle Obama as well as her daughters have been said to be avid hula hoopers. Barack Obama told People Magazine that one of his wife's secret talents is that she can really hoop. "She is the best Hula-Hooper I know. Once she gets the rhythm going, she can drop to her knees!"
Michelle Obama as well as her daughters have been said to be avid hula hoopers. Barack Obama told People Magazine that one of his wife's secret talents is that she can really hoop. "She is the best Hula-Hooper I know. Once she gets the rhythm going, she can drop to her knees!"
This is a true example of an INDEPENDENT woman. She is intelligent, sophisticated, determined, funny, humble, loving, stylish, dedicated, and most of all unselfish. She is making history herself not just because she's riding the coat tail of her husband, but because she has her own career, goals, and ideas.
Check out her track record!!! What's listed above is just her accomplishments thus far!!! Mrs. Obama still has issues, challenges, differences, and advances she wants to happen and I have no doubt what so ever that she will not get them accomplished. With or without Barack, Michelle would be just as successful either way. They just compliment each other so good, that they don't have a choice but to win and make a CHANGE come about of our nation!!!!
This also reminds me of a qoute I once read:
"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!"
Maya Angelou
So tell me, what do y'all think?????
3 comments:
agreed!
I concur...
I feel it is very imperative to not only reconize the men, but to also reconize the women, for we are (and forever will be) the backbone to any civilization.
In the words of Dr. Johnetta B. Cole, "When you educate a man, you educate a person; When you educate a woman, you educate a nation."
DAMN!!! That is a true definition of and Independent woman!! She is a role model for ALL WOMEN
Jenni
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