In Ambassador Nicole Avant, an African-American accomplished woman, and Ted Sarandos's, Netflix COO, home last night, one thing was made clear. The president's effective partner Michelle Obama, the intelligent and beautiful black woman we met in 2007, had turned into a formidable, warm and a new-style 21st century first lady, albeit without the grey in her hair that has turned her husband a few shades more serious looking. Michelle Obama was always an asset and someone to admire. A secret weapon to introduce her husband to people who had not met him, and to mobilize the troops to go out there at the same time being her husbands rock.
We all fell in love with Michelle for many reasons. Educated. Brilliant. Confident. Partners with her husband. But last night there was something new in the first lady's speech and demeanor. From 2008 to 2012 she has become a first lady with a clear mission, a goal, and you can see and hear tremendous empathy in her voice for what people are going through in this nation.
She is, as she always says, Sasha and Malia's mother first, and from that comes a defining presence that she has brought to a 21st century first lady. She is also a first mother, a first daughter, a first wife, and is defined not by anyone else's expectations but her own moral compass. She is the true African-American experience of hope and change that we were promised and delivered.
With her travelling across the country with the president and alone, there is such a great knowledge and need to help those who are struggling right now. She is still a mother of young children in their most impressionable age, and to balance that and bringing her own mother into their home during this time, shows the 21st century woman's generational wisdom and compassion. That is the first lady who came to Southern California to renew the coffers for her husband's campaign.
Our first lady will be remembered as the first African-American first lady who helped America in taking us into the 21st century. So in this first day of Black History Month, as a country we can look back with such pride for electing President Obama, her husband, in 2008, who led us into a new world by being the first bi-racial president in America. That is what makes America great. It proves that our country is the greatest country in the world. That dreams of greatness are still possible for so many. Her own successful agendas for children in Let's Move! Taking on childhood obesity, and in Joining Forces, taking care of the troops and their families after they come back from war, have shown her heart to many Americans.
The president captured and killed America's number one enemy while keeping our country safe. He serves under the worst economic times since the Depression and saved the American auto Industry during it. Whatever the coming political climate will conjure up, we can say that in Black History we took a step into the 21st century with President Barack Obama's family and for that we are grateful for the positive message we sent out into the world. As an immigrant's daughter, white, Christian, married to a redheaded Jew, with a 14-year-old six-foot-seven basketball player son, who looks at the first lady and says, "wow, mom, she is so right... you have to eat right, work out... take care of the troops' families when they come home.... She is so cool..." The world is hearing and watching Black History Month because of the Obama family. We are proud of them. Grateful to them. And celebrate them and all who went before and who will come after.