Michelle Obama inspires an already-inspired voter
Kim Schmitz
Features Editor
Michelle Obama is so much more than a first lady. She is an advocate, a role model and an inspiration. Those who cannot endorse her place in the White House or her political affiliation can still hopefully appreciate the dramatic social influence that she wields responsibly.
Before her husband landed in Washington, Mrs. Obama had established quite a career of her own. A passionate proponent of social justice, she has not let the last four years hinder her own commitments. Instead, she has used her position as a role model to continue her humanitarian pursuits.
Mrs. Obama was born on the South Side of Chicago to Fraser and Marian Robinson. She has one older brother, Craig. Marian Robinson was a dedicated stay-at-home mother, while her husband worked for the Chicago Water Department. Mrs. Obama attended Princeton University to study Sociology and African American Studies, and later received a degree from Harvard Law School. Her academic career was heavily marked with social justice leadership and advocacy, as well as academic honors.
After school, she returned home to Chicago to join the law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met her husband-to-be. She found her niche as a coordinator for various volunteer programs, including an affiliation with AmeriCorps and work at the University of Chicago.
Since becoming first lady, Mrs. Obama started and stimulated the “Let’s Move!” program, which encourages children to eat healthy and stay active in order to combat childhood obesity. She has also worked with Dr. Jill Biden to create “Joining Forces,” a group that supports and raises awareness for veterans and their rights, and strives to place them in jobs.
Mrs. Obama has not changed her fundamental goals during the last four years. I saw this for myself when I saw her speak last Saturday at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. The moment she appeared on stage, strong in stature, with eyes shining from far away, brought me unexpectedly to tears. It would not be the only time this happened in the next hour.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, seeing her at this time. I had seen President Obama and Vice President Biden before, and was used to the infectiously positive nature of these rallies. I knew what it was like to be swept up in the excitement, the hope and the camaraderie.
But this was different, because it was three days before the election. I had already voted. I was already motivated. I didn’t think there was much left for me to do.
Mrs. Obama is a tall lady. At 5’11”, I’m sure I’m not the first to use the word “towering” when describing her. Neither the thousands of eyes pressed upon her every minute, nor the duties of Washington resting on her shoulders, have stooped her. Standing on that stage, Mrs. Obama was ten feet tall. This lady knows what she wants, and she knows what other people need.
Her address covered the predicted campaign slogans. She made sure to utter those phrases that have been so overused in the last two months that their only meaning anymore is the number of times each candidate can possibly repeat them. But it interested me that with three days to go in the election, she didn’t entirely focus on her husband. She also preached those ideas that she has been particularly passionate about her entire life: helping women to balance work and family, increasing volunteerism, and preparing our children for their futures, to name a few. It’s not that these are notions which President Obama has disagreed with, but they don’t fit the “five foolproof phrases to win the election” handbook that each candidate seems to have read. Even three days before the election, Mrs. Obama stayed true to what she has worked for, and recommended her husband’s ability to do the same.
The speech ended with chants of “fired up and ready to go!” and more tears on my part. When the first lady began to shake hands with members of the crowd, I patiently geared up for my turn. She took my wrist in a confident, empowering grip while she looked in the eyes of a group of college girls in front of me and said, “We have so many rights. And they’re trying to take them away. But we won’t let that happen.”
It struck me that each comment she made seemed to be personalized to whomever she was facing.
I left that gymnasium remarking that somehow, even though I was already inspired and already confident in my president, Michelle Obama had me fired up and ready to go.