Michelle Obama
Her Story
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama was born January 17th, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up she had a very traditional home where her parents rented a floor in her aunt’s house. Her father ended up developing multiple sclerosis which had an emotional effort on her while growing up. She wanted to make her father proud and decided to stay out of trouble and get good grades. It was tough growing up with her brother skipping a grade and her being compared to him. She continued try to prove people wrong by attending Chicago’s first magnet high school. She continued to face gender discrimination often from her brother being known for being really smart. With inspiration for following her brother she attended Princeton University. Her high school teachers told her she would never succeed and swayed her away from going. Obama then had doubt she only got in because of her brother, but she was determined to prove everyone wrong. She felt out of place while
Her Story attending Princeton. Her roommate’s mother tried to get her daughter to be reassigned to a different room due to Obama’s race. After graduating from Princeton, she then went on to earn her law degree from Harvard law school. After law school she became an associate at a law form until 1993. She held a public sector position in Chicago and in 1993 she was an executive director for a nonprofit that encourages young people to work for social issues. In 2009 she then went on to become first lady.
Contributions While being first lady Obama she spent her time visiting homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and advocated for public service at schools. She was also a big supporter for bills her husband wanted to pass for women’s rights. Obama was a big supporter for Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 and economic bills for Education and Housing and Urban development. She created initiatives including Let’s Move, Reach Higher, Let Girls Learn, and Joining Forces. Obama continued the move of organic foods at the White House by creating the White House Gardens along with adding beehives. One of the big topics she focused on foreign trips was international education for young girls to give them a chance to follow their dreams. She also is a big advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and helped repeal acts that prevented them from being themselves.
Location One
On George Mason’s Fairfax campus, I would like to place the statue in between Fenwick library and Horizon Hall in the middle of walkway as you are walking towards the Johnson Center. I decided it should be placed there since Horizon Hall is the place of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The college is home to the criminology department which is a path you can take to law school. Michelle Obama attended law school which is why I chose that location.
Location Two
The place anywhere in the world I would put the statue is in Chicago, Illinois in front of Sidley Austin LLC. It was the first place she worked once she graduated from law school, it is also the place Michelle and Barack Obama met.
The Monument
Michelle Obama
Why She Deserves It
Michelle Obama deserves this monument for being a role model to younger generations. She is showing young people especially young women of color to not give up and continue to follow their dreams. Do not allow others to stop you from becoming who want to be or what you want to do!
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s the power of using your voice. I tried my best to speak the truth and shed light on the stories of people who are often brushed aside.” - Michelle Obama