101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama by Monica Nicole Simpson

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama

For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of the First Lady of the United States of America…Sharon K. McGhee, November 5, 2008

About the Author Award-winning personality, Sharon K. McGhee, born in St. Louis, is the news director for WVON radio. Before arriving in Chicago, Sharon hosted the top rated morning talk show, “Good Morning St. Louis,” for five years. Sharon won the prestigious AIR Award on KATZ radio for a series on the death of Emmitt Till. A radio merger and new management decided to take the station in a different direction and cancelled the entire talk format. Sharon wanted to keep her career on the fast track and sought employment in a major radio market, and today she is proud to call the Windy City home. During her time in Chicago, Sharon has won the prestigious AIR Award for a five-part series on Breast Cancer. Sharon also launched the first WVON book club,”Between the Covers.” Sharon’s greatest pleasure comes when she explores the world. “Any day I pack my bags and get my passport stamped is a good day!” Sharon has traveled to Africa six times; South America; Europe; and the Caribbean islands. She is the Author and creator of The Pocketbook Monologues. During her travels she encountered many women of color around the world who shared compelling and heartwrenching stories about intimacy. The quest found many women with the courage to not only answer the questions, but to discuss, in vivid detail, a subject that is normally taboo in the African-American community. The term “pocketbook,” was used by many older African-American women when the subject of sexuality was discussed privately. From sisters that carry their weight in Fortune 500 companies, to the crack addict searching for her next hit, to the girls that have been violated in their homes, to women going through the change of life, these monologues are detailed in a liberating and hilarious manner. Following the blueprint established by Eve Ensler, author of the Vagina Monologues, McGhee keeps the Black female perspectives front and center. The Pocketbook Monologues has started a movement with a mission of empowering and entertaining women of color. Go to http://sharonkmcghee.wordpress.com/ for more information about Sharon and to stay connected.

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama

Why I love Mrs. Michelle L. Obama My jobs as news director for the only black talk station in, Chicago made it a necessity to follow the Obama presidential campaign. While the world was fixated on the thought of electing the first African-American president my attention was focused on his wife Mrs. Michelle L. Obama. From the time Mr. Obama made his announcement about his presidential aspirations in Springfield IL., I became a huge fan and supporter of his wife. Michelle is smart, poised, confident, a great mother, and a self proclaimed daddy's girl. Unlike many national women of color that are considered to be role models for us, Mrs. Obama has what many women want even if they don't admit it...a husband that is loving, two wonderful children, and a picket fence. Michelle's fence just happens to circle the most famous piece of real estate in the United States. ..1600 Pennsylvania Ave. You Go Michelle! What's not to love? Did I mention she looks like me and a combination of millions of other women of color in this country and around the world. After years of negative stereotypes about black women in books, film and of course some of the latest reality t.v. shows, we finally see Michelle Obama on a national and international stage and that makes me very proud. Yes, I have the fever...the Michell Obama fever of representing women of color in a positive light...let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. For full disclosure, I must say, I have purchased every magazine that features Mrs. Obama on the cover and why not? Michelle is beautiful and wears her clothes very well from expensive designer pieces to what she picks up from H&M. Michelle is practical and I admire her choices. I know that some women covet what Mrs. Obama has accomplished in her life...for me it is all about the arms. After dealing with a recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer, chemotherapy treatments, and a directive from my doctor not work out for a while, I finally I did get permission from my doctor to lift light weights. I worked on my arms while at home recovering from surgery. I started to lift Tide detergent bottles a few times everyday. My arm plan worked and I am proud of the results. I like to show off my biceps as often as I can. As "Mom in Chief", Michelle makes her daughters a priority and she has her Mother by her side for backup. In our community we all know just how important a grandmothers love and wisdom can be. Natasha(Sasha) and Malia are so cute. I have watched the affection these girls have for their mother and it is reminds me of what a family can and should be. The public display of affections that I see between Michelle and Barack are a wonderful example of Black on Black love that the world rarely sees. I am so happy the first couples relationship has encouraged more couples to be loving toward each other. I believe there is some lovemaking happening in the white house for the first time in a long time. For this book I just wanted to express my admiration for Mrs Michelle L. Obama. I encourage you to let me know what you love about the First Lady of the United States. (haters keep your comments to yourself!)

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama

Michelle is the first African-American First Lady.

Michelle is tall and stands up straight.

Michelle does not like to wear pantyhose.

Michelle has a beautiful smile.

Michelle is a loving wife.

Michelle does not walk behind her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;she walks with him.

Michelle has curves.

Michelle has her own style.

Michelle likes giving hugs.

10.

Michelle loves her husband and is not afraid to show her love.

Solournal Truth

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama

11.

Michelle looks like she could kick a@# if she needs to.

12.

Michelle is comfortable in her own skin.

13.

Michelle loves her mother and moved her to the White House.

14.

Michelle is not afraid to speak her mind…sometimes.

15.

Michelle is proof that you can have it all.

16.

Michelle insisted that her husband court her before they married.

17.

Michelle is still being courted by her husband.

18.

Michelle is gracious.

19.

Michelle’s favorite artist is Stevie Wonder.

20.

Michelle’s middle name is Lavaughn.

Coretta Scott King

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama

21.

Michelle’s first male love was her father.

22.

Michelle works out.

23.

Michelle made $300,000 before she moved to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

24.

Michelle skipped the 2nd grade.

25.

Michelle appeared on the cover of O Magazine.

26.

Michelle does not always need notes to speak before a crowd.

27.

Michelle encourages people to serve their community.

28.

Michelle’s official White House portrait made some people mad.

29.

Michelle shops at Gap and H&M.

30.

Michelle has ‘it’ according to Ebony Magazine.

Harriett Tubman

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama 31.

Michelle appeared on The View and held her own with the fist bump.

32.

“I am Michelle Obama and the First Lady of the United States,” (her intro).

33.

Michelle has great arms.

34.

Michelle is not an angry Black woman, but don’t push her.

35.

Michelle is not afraid to wear bright colors.

36.

Michelle is not afraid to get dirty in her garden.

37.

Michelle wishes she had learned to speak another language.

38.

Michelle shows her strength even when her husband is not around.

39.

Michelle understands her place is wherever she is at the moment.

40.

Michelle is self-assured.

Rosa Parks

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama 41.

Michelle is a role model.

42.

Michelle is our role model.

43.

Michelle can look like a million bucks without spending that much.

44.

Michelle has a hater club that follows every move she makes.

45.

Michelle supports the arts and cultural activities.

46.

Michelle is the real housewife of the White House.

47.

Michelle is Claire Huxtable.

48.

Michelle does not wear fur.

49.

Michelle took a HIV/AIDS test with her husband in Kenya.

50.

Michelle has a sense of humor.

Dorothy Dandridge

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama 51.

Michelle fears for her husband’s safety.

52.

Michelle does not want to run for political office.

53.

Michelle’s hairstylist is Johnny Wright from Chicago.

54.

Michelle gets her jobs done.

55.

Michelle keeps her husband grounded.

56.

Michelle loves her brother, Craig.

57.

Michelle was her husband’s mentor before she was his wife.

58.

Michelle honored Sojourner Truth with a bust in Emancipation Hall.

59.

Michelle is beautiful on the inside.

60.

Michelle is classy and confident.

Mary Margert Bethune

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama 61.

Michelle makes all women of color believe they, too, can be beautiful.

62.

Michelle does not apologize for being Black.

63.

Michelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace made the Queen of England drop her protocol.

64.

Michelle seems calm during chaos.

65.

Michelle does not try hard to impress anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;she is impressive.

66.

Michelle still misses her father.

67.

Michelle knows how to play chess.

68.

Michelle is very competitive and does not like to lose.

69.

Michelle is not afraid to wear fake pearls.

70.

Michelle has improved J. Crews bottom line.

Betty Shabazz

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama 71.

Michelle is an honorary member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

72.

Michelle spoke to graduates at Merced because they asked…a lot.

73.

Michelle had a lot of student debt and she paid it off.

74.

Michelle spent time with Big Bird and Elmo on Sesame Street.

75.

Michelle did not lose herself after becoming Mrs. Obama.

76.

Michelle’s ensemble stood out from the crowd on Inauguration Day.

77.

Michelle wears a belt that her husband doesn’t really like.

78.

Michelle rocks Kitten Heels.

79.

Michelle makes me look forward to turning 40 next year.

80.

Michelle took her daughter to an interview and she still got the job.

Nina Simone

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama 81.

Michelle gave me permission to be affectionate in public.

82.

Michelle is a great partner for the President of the United States.

83.

Michelle brought sexy back to the White House.

84.

Michelle realizes she still needs her mother.

85.

Michelle is humble and not an elitist.

86.

Michelle represents two minoritiesâ&#x20AC;Śshe is a Black Woman.

87.

Michelle knows that being feminine can also mean being strong.

88.

Michelle was afraid to enroll in Princeton.

89.

Michelle has manners and her daughters will, too.

Ida B. Wells

101 Things We Love About First Lady Michelle Obama 90.

Michelle loves to cook.

91.

Michelle is not afraid to wear the same ensemble twice.

92.

Michelle has made marriage an option for me again.

93.

Michelle was refined the cover of Vogue.

94.

Michelle wants her new home to be more accessible to the public.

95.

Michelle says put yourself on your to-do list.

96.

Michelle is the real deal.

97.

Michelle does not wilt under public scrutiny.

98.

Michelle is living the American Dream.

99.

Michelle is the love of her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life.

100.

Michelle is a leading lady.

101.

Michelle Lavaughn Robinson Obama is ME!!!

Gwendolyn Brooks