Michelle Obama: Mentoring Us All

"They go low, we go high." She's got a new mantra. "They go low. We disappear."

I have always been a fan of Michelle Obama. I have met her, and I think she is quite the woman I would hope to mirror. And yesterday, she showed me how to clearly forge my own pathway forward.

She didn’t go to the Jimmy Carter funeral last week. The word was she was busy. No comment. She is the queen of no comment. The CEO of no comment. I have just appointed myself the new Managing Partner of “no comment.” But I promise you, she reached out to the Carter family.

Yesterday, it was announced that Michelle would not attend the inauguration next week. No reason given. No comment.

Make no mistake—it’s an act of rebellion. Such a good one. We all get the message without all the back-and-forth debating the reason, the wording, all of it. Oh, I get the message. So did everyone else.

She protects herself. She surrounds herself with those who elevate her, and she elevates them as well. She has no desire to be in the presence of those who are not on Team Obama. Or Team America. And she is busy. And so am I. And so are you. She is too busy to sit by while someone she abhors pretends to pledge allegiance to the flag and country I call mine. Nope. No time. And neither do we. Anyone who watches it or even reads about it? Well, Michelle and I think you are wasting your time.

I don’t need to write about what those in power are doing right now. But I do need to write about things I can do something about. And then I need to do what I can.

Here is what MO is busy doing: She is committed to promoting education, health, and empowerment, particularly for girls and young women worldwide.

Girls Opportunity Alliance

Part of the Obama Foundation, the Girls Opportunity Alliance focuses on empowering adolescent girls through education. In October 2022, Michelle Obama announced the “Get Her There” campaign, aiming to inspire global support for girls’ education. This initiative seeks to fund over 100 community-based organizations and expand its network of leaders dedicated to educating and empowering girls over the next five years.

When We All Vote

Founded in 2018, When We All Vote strives to increase voter participation, especially among young people and communities of color. Under Michelle Obama’s leadership, When We All Vote has registered hundreds of thousands of voters and continues to advocate for civic engagement and voting rights.

Higher Ground Productions

Hand in hand with Barack, Michelle co-founded Higher Ground Productions, a media company that produces content to inspire and educate. Their projects include documentaries and series that highlight important social issues, aiming to foster empathy and understanding. My favorite so far? Our Oceans.

Advocacy for Women’s Health and Rights

Michelle has been a vocal advocate for women’s health rights, reproductive rights, and gender equality. She has collaborated with organizations such as Planned Parenthood and has consistently prioritized mentorship programs to empower women.

The way to build the scorched earth? The MO Way. Find what you care about it. Work to do it, amidst the rubble around us, and if enough of us do our part, we can fix what is being broken.