I’m bringing you my first First Lady in my “Women Who Inspire Me” series. She’s a former first lady, activist, and lawyer. Ever since “Becoming” hit the best-seller list and became everyone’s favourite read of the past few years, I’m sure Michelle has feature on many people’s inspirational lists.
Michelle Obama
Not only is Michelle Obama a graduate of Princeton University, she is also a graduate of Harvard Law. She worked in law firms, before working for non-profit organisations, then transitioning to work at the University of Chicago. Both during her time as the first African-American first lady and afterwards she worked as an advocate for poverty awareness, education, nutrition, physical activity and healthy eating.
Two of my favourite Michelle Obama facts are: She was told by her college guidance counsellor that she wasn’t Princeton material but as it was her dream school, she persisted anyway. And she once took baby Sasha to a job interview because she was unable to find last minute childcare.
One of the reasons that I find her especially inspiring is that she’s been very candid about her childhood struggles, the pressure that she’s felt in all facets of her life, and her emphasis on the importance of empowering other women.
Some of my favourite Michelle Obama quotes are:
“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.”
“When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.”
“Success isn’t about how your life looks to others. It’s about how it feels to you. We realised that being successful isn’t about being impressive, it’s about being inspired. That’s what it means to be true to yourself.”
“I think if we want our daughters to dream bigger than we did, then we have more work to do…So many of us have gotten ourselves at the table, but we’re still too grateful to be at the table to really shake it up. And that’s not a criticism, because for so many just getting to the table was so hard, right? So you’re just holding on!”
Is there any woman that you find particularly inspiring at the moment?
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
Women Who Inspire Me #1: Joan Didion
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Women Who Inspire Me #2: Sylvia Plath
Feminist Reads for Every Age
Women Who Inspire Me #3: Georgia O’Keeffe
Women Who Inspire Me #4: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
My Feminism Journey
Women Who Inspire me #5: Audre Lorde
Women Who Inspire Me #6 Roxane Gay
Women Who Inspire Me #7 My mom
Women Who Inspire Me #8: Frida Kahlo
Women Who Inspire Me #9: Lindy West
Women Who Inspire Me #10: Margaret Charles Smith
Women Who Inspire Me #11: My Grandmother
Women Who Inspire Me #12: Ibu Robin Lim
Women Who Inspire Me #13: Iris Apfel
Women Who Inspire Me #14: My Best Friend
Women Who Inspire Me #15: Audrey Hepburn
Women Who Inspire Me: #16: Elizabeth Warren
Women Who Inspire Me: #17 Ruby Tandoh
