Michelle Obama is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States.
Raised on the South Side of Chicago, she is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School.
Michelle worked at the law firm Sidley Austin where she met her future husband Barack Obama.
She subsequently worked in nonprofits and as the associate dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago.
Later Michelle served as vice president for Community and External Affairs of the University of Chicago Medical Center.
As the first lady, she initiated the Let’s Move! program to end childhood obesity, the Joining Forces initiative to support military families, the Reach Higher initiative to encourage higher education, and the Let Girls Learn program to promote education for girls worldwide.
Michelle was a role model for women and an advocate for these causes during her time as first lady.
Siblings
Michelle has one sibling, her older brother Craig Robinson.
Craig was born in 1962, nine months older than Michelle.
He is a former college basketball player and coach, and has worked as a basketball analyst and broadcaster.
Craig played basketball at Princeton University, where he was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 1983.
He later coached at several colleges, including Brown University and Oregon State University.
He also served as the Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches from 2016 to 2021.
Additionally, Craig hosts a podcast called Ways to Win, which has featured guests like his brother-in-law, former President Barack Obama.
Throughout his career, Craig has been a vocal supporter of his sister Michelle and her initiatives, including “Let’s Move and Reach Higher.
Michelle and Craig have maintained a strong sibling relationship throughout their adult lives, with Craig being a consistent presence and supporter of his sister.
Profession
Michelle has had a diverse professional career.
She began her career as a lawyer, working as a junior associate at the law firm Sidley Austin, specializing in intellectual property law.
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Michelle later transitioned into public service, working as an assistant to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and as the assistant commissioner of planning and development for the City of Chicago.
Michelle also served as the founding executive director of the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program that prepares young people for public service.
Additionally, she worked as an associate dean of student services at the University of Chicago, developing the school’s first community service program.
Later, Michelle became the vice president for Community and External Affairs of the University of Chicago Medical Center.
She has also had a successful career as an author, publishing two bestselling memoirs, Becoming in 2018 and The Light We Carry in 2022.
Michelle has also written a book about the White House kitchen garden.
Furthermore, she has ventured into podcasting, launching The Michelle Obama Podcast in 2020 and Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast in 2023.
Achievements as First Lady
As First Lady from 2009-2017, Michelle made significant achievements in several key areas.
She launched the Let’s Move! initiative to end childhood obesity within a generation by promoting healthy eating and physical activity.
As part of this, Michelle planted the first White House vegetable garden since Eleanor Roosevelt and hosted events with schoolchildren there.
She also published the book American Grown about her experience creating the White House garden and promoting community gardens.
In the area of supporting military families, Michelle launched Joining Forces with Jill Biden to support military families through wellness, education and employment.
She visited military hospitals and worked to fight the stigma around PTSD.
On the education front, Michelle launched the Reach Higher initiative to encourage students to continue their education past high school.
She provided financial assistance to high school guidance counselors to help students get into college and mentored high school girls through a leadership program, pairing them with female mentors.
Michelle also established herself as a strong advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, supporting the Let Girls Learn program to promote education for girls globally.
Additionally, Michelle helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, transforming it into the People’s House.
Her initiatives and advocacy left a lasting impact during her time as First Lady.
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