The United States was so lucky to have a first lady such as Michelle Obama. While the Obamas were in the White House, racism reared up on its back legs, but Mrs. Obama never appeared to give in to it. Instead, she shared her famous line “When they go low, we go high.” Once again, she reached out to the nation through its dark haze of concern today to brighten people’s lives.
The former first lady reminded American young women that over “98 million adolescent girls” do not have the opportunity our country takes for granted — a public education. The president’s wife tweeted a delightful photo of her much younger self and these words:
‘As students here in the U.S. head back to school, let’s remember that more than 98 million adolescent girls around the world don’t have that opportunity. This #WorldCharityDay, share your #BackToSchool photo and take action with the @girlsalliance: gofundme.com/girlsopportuni‘
Her life lessons including growing up in Chicago’s south side with both parents and an older brother, with whom she competed. When former FLOTUS’s brother went to Ivy League universities, she believed that if he could do it, so could she. Her father acquired a disability but continued to work.
Obama was the first black first lady after graduating from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. She met her husband where she worked at a law firm. He was smitten and had to coax her into dating him. They married in 1992.
The former first lady moved to the nonprofit sector, first as the University of Chicago’s associate dean of Student Services, then as the vice president for Community and External Affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Inc.com compiled a list of her most memorable quotes:
1. ‘There are still many causes worth sacrificing for, so much history yet to be made.’
2. ‘If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn’t be here. I guarantee you that.’
3. ‘Whether you come from a council estate or a country estate, your success will be determined by your own confidence and fortitude.’
4. ‘You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.’
5. ‘We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters… that you don’t take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules… and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.’
6. ‘One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.’
7. ‘You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.’
8. ‘Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.’
9. ‘When I hear about negative and false attacks, I really don’t invest any energy in them, because I know who I am.’
10. ‘We learned about dignity and decency – that how hard you work matters more than how much you make… that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.’
11. ‘Find people who will make you better.’
12. ‘We learned about gratitude and humility – that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean… and we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.’
13. ‘Choose people who lift you up.’
14. ‘I am an example of what is possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by people around them. I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.’
15. ‘When I get up and work out, I’m working out just as much for my girls as I am for me, because I want them to see a mother who loves them dearly, who invests in them, but who also invests in herself. It’s just as much about letting them know as young women that it is okay to put yourself a little higher on your priority list.’
16. ‘At the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as president, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.’
17. ‘I’ve seen firsthand that being president doesn’t change who you are. It reveals who you are.’
18. ‘We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.’
19. ‘And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values, like you work hard for what you want in life. That your word is your bond; that you do what you say you’re going to do. That you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them and even if you don’t agree with them.’
20. ‘Success isn’t about how much money you make. It’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.’
21. ‘When they go low, we go high.’
Twitter world went crazy for her. Check out these remarkable tweeted responses:
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
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