Greene County Democrat

Tag: former First Lady Michelle Obama

  • Newswire : Michelle Obama: ‘I’m not divorcing Barack — I’m choosing me’

    Michelle Obama

    By Stacy M. Brown
BlackPressUSA.com Senior National Correspondent

    Former First Lady Michelle Obama is setting the record straight about her marriage, brushing off rumors of a split from former President Barack Obama and calling out the sexist assumptions that fueled them.
    In part two of her appearance on the “Work in Progress” podcast hosted by Sophia Bush, Michelle Obama addressed the online speculation that ramped up earlier this year when Barack Obama appeared alone at several high-profile events, including the funeral for former President Jimmy Carter and the inauguration of Donald Trump. Critics quickly jumped to conclusions — but Michelle Obama made it clear that her choices had nothing to do with marital discord. “This year people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself,” Obama said. “They had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing. This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?”
    She added, “That’s what society does to us. We start actually finally going, What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?’ And if it doesn’t fit into the stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible.” The bestselling author and former First Lady, who spent eight years in the White House without scandal — unless one counts Barack Obama’s infamous tan suit — said her efforts to make room for her voice and decisions have often been misinterpreted.
    “I feel like it’s time for me to make some big girl decisions about my life and own it fully,” she said. “Because if not now, when? What am I waiting for? Look, the summers are—we’re in the summer countdown at 61, right? It’s not so tragic if something happens to you and you’re 80. So now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of who do I truly want to be every day?” Michelle also spoke about the discomfort women often feel when asserting themselves. “When I say ‘no,’ for the most part, people are like, ‘I get it,’ and I’m OK,” she said. “That’s the thing that we, as women, I think we struggle with — disappointing people.”
    Despite the rumor mill, the Obamas have continued to share affectionate public messages. On Valentine’s Day, Barack posted a photo with Michelle, writing, “Thirty-two years together, and you still take my breath away.” Michelle echoed the sentiment in her post: “If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, @BarackObama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be.”
    The couple met in 1988 at a Chicago law firm. Michelle, a 25-year-old Harvard Law graduate, was assigned to mentor Barack, then a summer associate finishing law school. They married in 1992 and have two daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23. Many on social media, especially in Black communities, were quick to ridicule the divorce rumors, pointing out that the Obamas — whose biggest scandal was wearing a tan suit — are still treated with more suspicion than Donald Trump, a twice-impeached and 34-time convicted felon who routinely is ensconced in scandals. “This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?” Michelle Obama said.

  • Newswire : Marian Robinson, the Heart of the Obama Family, remembered fondly at 86

    President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden pose for photos with former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, her mother Marian Robinson, left, and family friend Kaye Wilson, Wednesday, September 7, 2022, in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

    By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

     

     Marian Robinson, mother to former First Lady Michelle Obama, died on Friday, May 31, at 86. Her loved ones said she leaves behind a void in the hearts of many. As a steadfast figure in the Obama White House, Robinson’s presence extended far beyond familial ties, touching the lives of all who knew her.

    Marian Lois Shields set out on a journey that was characterized by fortitude and compassion after emerging from the vibrant tapestry of Chicago’s South Side. From her early days as a teacher to her later role as a trusted secretary, Robinson’s life was a testament to the values of family and service, showcasing her personal achievements and contributions.
    In a heartfelt tribute, Michelle Obama fondly recalled her mother’s enduring influence, describing her as the unwavering pillar of their family. Robinson’s wisdom, honed through life’s diverse experiences, was a beacon of light during times of uncertainty. Her steadfast support and gentle nature were not just sources of strength but unique qualities that endeared her to the entire Obama clan.
    Throughout Barack Obama’s historic presidency, Marian Robinson was a symbol of stability, offering sage advice and unconditional love. Despite the grandeur of the White House, she maintained her down-to-earth charm, forging deep connections with staff and finding solace in everyday routines, thereby extending her influence beyond her immediate family.
    Reflecting on her mother’s legacy, Michelle Obama shared cherished memories of their time, illustrating their profound bond. Robinson’s unwavering presence and nurturing spirit created a sense of home amidst the whirlwind of public life.
    “Her wisdom came off as almost innate, as something she was born with, but in reality, it was hard-earned, fashioned by her deep understanding that the world’s roughest edges could always be sanded down with a little grace,” the family said.
    Michelle, Barack, Craig, Kelly, Avery, Leslie, Malia, Sasha, Austin, and Aaron joined to pen a heartfelt remembrance of Robinson.
    “Our mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother had a way of summing up the truths about life in a word or two, maybe a quick phrase that made everyone around her stop and think,” they wrote. “Don’t sweat the small stuff. Know what’s truly precious. As a parent, you’re not raising babies — you’re raising little people. Don’t worry about whether anybody else likes you. Come home. We’ll always like you here.”
    The family recalled that, as a young woman, Robinson studied to become a teacher before working as a secretary. She fell quickly and madly in love with Fraser Robinson, another South Sider with a “boxer’s strength and jazz-lover’s cool.” Together, they raised two children, Craig, and Michelle, in a tiny upstairs apartment on Euclid Avenue in South Shore.
    Robinson volunteered for the PTA and taught her children to read at an early age, sitting together as they sounded out words on a page, giving them the strength and confidence to walk to school — and out into the world — all on their own. She once chewed out a police officer who had accused Craig of stealing a bike, demanding that the adult apologize to her son.
    “On Election Night in 2008, when the news broke that Barack would soon shoulder the weight of the world, she was there, holding his hand,” the family wrote.  “With a healthy nudge, she agreed to move to the White House with Michelle and Barack. We needed her. The girls needed her. And she ended up being our rock through it all.”

  • Newswire : Reactions pour in following the passing of Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady and Global Humanitarian

    Rosalynn Carter with Jimmy Carter

    By Stacy M. Brown, For The Washington Informer
    In a wave of condolences, political leaders and public figures expressed their grief and admiration for the late Rosalynn Carter, former first lady and tireless advocate for various social issues. President Joe Biden, visibly moved, shared his sentiments with reporters as he boarded Air Force One in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday night.
    Habitat For Humanity, the Georgia-based charity closely associated with the Carters, expressed sadness at the news. The organization described Carter as a “compassionate and committed champion” who worked tirelessly to help families worldwide.
    The late First Lady and her husband co-founded the Carter Center, which expressed its sorrow in a statement by highlighting their global initiatives to strengthen democracy, settle disputes, advance human rights, and eradicate crippling diseases. The center announced that, instead of flowers, contributions in Carter’s memory could be made to the Carter Center’s Mental Health Program or the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers.
    “He had this great integrity and still does. And she did too,” Biden remarked. “God bless them.” After speaking with the family, Biden learned that Jimmy Carter’s children and grandchildren were by his side during his final moments. The White House later issued an official joint statement from President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, lauding Rosalynn Carter’s inspirational impact on the nation.
    Former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush also paid their respects, praising Carter’s dignity and strength. “There was no greater advocate of President Carter, and their partnership set a wonderful example of loyalty and fidelity,” Bush stated.
U.S. Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia emphasized Carter’s compassionate nature and commitment to various causes. “The State of Georgia and the United States are better places because of Rosalynn Carter,” Ossoff stated. “May Rosalynn Carter’s memory be a blessing.”
    Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged Carter’s redefinition of the First Lady’s role and her life of service, faith, compassion, and moral leadership. “Her legacy will be a beacon for generations to come,” Harris asserted.
    Former first lady Melania Trump expressed her condolences, noting Carter’s meaningful legacy and servant’s heart. “May she rest in peace,” Melania Trump conveyed on X, formerly Twitter.
    Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described Carter as a “saintly and revered public servant,” highlighting her historic diplomatic missions and advocacy for mental health. Pelosi offered condolences to the Carter family.
    Bill and Hillary Clinton, in a joint statement, referred to Carter as a champion of human dignity. They praised her advocacy for mental health and childhood immunization and her work with the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity.
    Former first lady Michelle Obama shared a personal connection, revealing that Carter offered advice during their periodic lunches at the White House. “Today, Barack and I join the world in celebrating the remarkable legacy of a First Lady, philanthropist, and advocate who dedicated her life to lifting up others,” Obama stated.

  • Newswire : Lawsuit filed to block Obama Presidential Center in Chicago

    Crusader Staff Report (The Chicago Crusader/NNPA Member)

     

     

    obamacenter_001_obamafoundation_web.jpg

    Obama Presidential Center
    Days before the Chicago Plan Commission approved plans for the Obama Presidential Center, a federal lawsuit was filed to block the proposed $500 million facility that will be built in Jackson Park.
    The 500-acre park is located in Chicago’s predominately Black Woodlawn and South Shore neighborhoods, where former First Lady Michelle Obama, rapper Kanye West and some of the nation’s most prominent Blacks once lived. On Thursday, May 17, the Chicago Plan Commission unanimously approved the blueprints for the Obama Presidential Center, despite emotional appeals from protestors who are concerned that the library will eventually drive up rents in the neighborhoods and force out longtime, low-income residents. The plans now go before the city’s 50-member city council. While those plans are expected to pass that stage, the Obama Foundation faces a lawsuit that may be its biggest hurdle yet.
    The lawsuit was filed on Monday, May 14 by “Protect Our Parks,” a nonprofit organization that seeks a court order to “bar the Park District and the City from approving the building of the Presidential Center and from conveying any interest in or control of the Jackson Park site to the Foundation.”
    In its complaint, Protect Our Parks accuses the Chicago Park District of an “institutional bait and switch.” The organization said the park district transferred public land to the Obama Foundation to house an official federal Obama Federal Library. But that purpose changed when Obama decided his center will not be his official library. Instead, the federal National Records and Archives Administration will run it in another location. In the lawsuit, Protect Our Parks called Chicago’s plan to lease public park space an “illegal land grab.”
    The organization also said the transfer of park land to a non-governmental private entity violates the park district code. In addition, Protect Our Parks said the park district and the city will receive only token rent for the land and the Park District Act law “does not authorize the Park District itself to transfer valuable public trust land for virtually no compensatory return.”
    Protect Our Parks says that city officials are “prohibited by law” from turning over public park land to a non-governmental private entity for private use.
    At a meeting Thursday, May 17, the commission was expected to take up a resolution authorizing a long-term ground lease for 19.3 acres in Jackson Park from the city to the Obama Foundation. In March 2015, Chicago’s city council approved an ordinance for Chicago Park District land in Jackson Park to be transferred to the city of Chicago to lease to the Obama Foundation.
    Protect Our Parks’ lawsuit may force planning officials to rewrite the ordinance.
    Protect Our Parks is being represented by Roth Fioretti; Robert Fioretti is a former Chicago alderman who challenged Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2015 before endorsing Emanuel in the run-off. More recently, Fioretti was defeated in a March Democratic primary bid for Cook County Board president.
    In an emailed statement, Emanuel’s mayoral spokesman Grant Klinzman said, “The Obama Presidential Center is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest hundreds of millions of dollars that will create good jobs on the South Side, bring our communities together and honor the legacy of Chicago’s favorite son and daughter. While some choose to stand in the way of progress for the South Side, we are focused on making progress in every community in Chicago.”
    But later that day, Emanuel at an event called the lawsuit frivolous and said that the “notion that somehow this is not a presidential library, because the actual papers will be in New York …to me not only is frivolous, but means the people that filed this don’t understand the 21st century,” he added. “The good news is, the presidential papers will be in two places but there will be only one library, here in Chicago.”
    Emanuel said that the papers will be digitized.
    Juanita Irizarry, executive director of Friends of the Parks, also released a statement, saying officials with the group welcome the Obama Center to the South Side “but disagree with the choice to locate it on public parkland, rather than vacant land across the street from Washington Park.”
    “While we are not involved with this lawsuit in any way, it is an indication of the fact the Friends of the Parks is not alone in our concern about Chicago’s parks being seen as sites for real estate development,” Irizarry said.
    Plans have not gone smoothly for the library since President Barack Obama announced that Jackson Park will be the location of his library in 2016. Residents in Woodlawn and South shore have held numerous protests demanding that the Obama Foundation sign a community benefits agreement as concerns of neighborhood gentrification and rising rents continue to grow. Despite their concerns, Obama has said that a community benefits agreement is not necessary, because his library is an automatic benefit to the neighborhoods.
    This article was originally published in The Chicago Crusader, a member publication of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). Learn more about becoming a member of the NNPA at http://www.nnpa.org.

     

  • Obama Presidential Center envisioned as economic engine to revitalize Chicago’s South Side

    By Frederick H. Lowe
    obamapresidentialcenter.jpg

    Architect’s drawing of the Obama Presidential Center

    (TriceEdneyWire.com) – Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday showed off a model of the Obama Presidential Center, which will honor the nation’s first African-American president as well as help to revitalize neighborhoods on Chicago South Side where the center will call home.
    The $500 million, 200,000 square-foot center is scheduled to open in 2021 in Jackson Park, near Lake Michigan, announced the Obama Foundation, which is raising money for the presidential center. The Foundation said it will strengthen its neighborhoods’ economic climate by bringing hundreds and thousands visitors to Chicago every year and creating new jobs on the South Side.
    The foundation also hopes the center will revitalize historic Jackson Park.”We believe the center will restore the promise of Jackson Park as the people’s park, building on its history as a recreational destination for gathering on the South Side for families, community members and visitors,” the Obama Foundation said in a statement.
    During a presentation yesterday at the South Shore Cultural Center, the Obamas said they are building the presidential center on the South Side to give back to the community, which has given them so much.
    The Obama Foundation is working with other institutions in the area, including the DuSable Museum of African-American History, the Museum of Science and Industry, the University of Chicago and the City of Chicago.
    The presidential center will consist of three buildings. The multi-story museum, the tallest structure on the site, will serve as a beacon for the Obama Center. The other two structures will be a library and a forum. They will be one-story structures with landscaped roofs that offer views of Jackson Park Lagoon and Lake Michigan.
    The campus will be open to the public and the center will include indoor and outdoor spaces for events, trainings and other gatherings. The presidential center will have interactive displays to attract children and adults.
    Tod Williams+Billie Tsien Architects partnered with Interactive Design Architects to design the Obama Presidential Center.