Michelle Obama made history when she became the first African-American First Lady in the history of the United States. Since then, Mrs. Obama has become a role model in the hearts and minds of those she has inspired.
Here's why she continues to inspire us:
1. She's a High Achiever in a Male-Dominated Society: Before Barack Obama became president, Mrs. Obama, was a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School. After graduating from Harvard Law School she landed a job at, Sidley Austin, a prestigious Chicago Law firm. As described in the 2008 biography Michelle: A Biography written by Washington Post staff writer, Liza Mundy, Mrs. Obama left the law firm to pursue a career in public service at Public Allies, where she served as the executive director.
2. She's Has Been Married for 19 Years: Our ideals of marriage have changed drastically over the years -- so much that single parenthood and divorce seem to be commonplace. African-Americans, especially, are bombarded with countless images of the so called "single mother" and the "dead beat father". The fact that the Obamas have remained married for 19 years shows us that marriage can be sustained.
3. She's an Advocate for Healthy Living: Mrs. Obama has made it her mission to combat childhood obesity through healthy eating and physical activity. Her national campaign, Let's Move! , has generated an enormous response from parents, educators, and communities. As a result, restaurants and entertainment companies have made some effort to promote healthier choices. Her campaign has also prompted celebrities such as Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Derrick Brooks, and Eddie George, and Deuce McAllister to take action.
4. She's Herself: Mrs. Obama is certainly not afraid to be herself despite public pressure. We all adore popular figures, and with the help of the media we often create prefect glamorized images of the popular figures we adore. These images are a compelling, yet difficult image to live up to; after all, no one is prefect. So when, popular figures fail to live up to our images, they fall into obscurity -- or what I would like to call the endless pit of public scrutiny. Although Mrs. Obama isn't free from public scrutiny, she isn't afraid to tap into these images and admit that she isn't perfect, but instead, she's herself.
5. She's Determined to Raise Her Girls the Right Way: As you can imagine, raising children in the White House is not the easiest task. However, Mrs. Obama is adamant about ensuring a normal life for her children. Parents may not be able to fully relate to her circumstances as the First Lady, but the challenges of parenthood are universal. Parents all want what's best for their children in hopes that they will someday become responsible well-adjusted adults with good morals.
In an effort to keep her girls grounded, Mrs. Obama, has devised a set of parenting tips. According to Black Enterprise.com, among the parenting tips Mrs. Obama shared with online reporters during a October conference held at the White House, "Lead by Example" was considered to be the most prominent. She mentioned, "My mother was the traditional stay-at-home mom who never went to the hairdresser... and the thought of spending a dime on herself was just like, 'Oh, my goodness, why would I want to do that?" The article goes on to say that, "In contrast, the First Lady lets her daughters see her at her best so they too can aspire to new heights."
You go Mrs. Obama! Thanks for the inspiration!