Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama became the first lady of the United States when her husband, Barack Obama, took the oath of office as the 44th President of the United States on January 20, 2009.

The First Lady appeared in Copenhagen in September 2009 with Oprah Winfrey to promote Chicago as the site for the 2016 Olympics. Obama likened the competition for hosting the games to the Iowa primary, with Rio de Janeiro and Madrid also in contention. [1]<ref>

A 1985 Princeton graduate, Obama met her husband while working for the law firm Sidley & Austin.

The Obamas lived on the south side of Chicago with their two daughters, Malia and Sasha Obama, before moving to Washington D.C. to assume the role of the first family.

Michelle Obama's official portrait was released on February 27, 2009. The portrait was taken by photographer Joyce N. Boghosian. She was photographed in the White House's Blue Room wearing a sleeveless dress designed by Michael Kors.The Huffington Post: Michelle Obama Official Portrait Released

Michelle Obama attended Princeton University where she majored in sociology, and Harvard Law School. After graduating law school, Obama began working at the Chicago offices of the law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met Barack Obama. In 1993, she became the Executive Director of the Chicago office of Public Allies, a group which encouraged young people to engage in social activism.BarackObama.com: Meet Michelle

Michelle Obama is the youngest of two children. Her brother Craig Robinson is the men's basketball coach at Oregon State University. Obama's family lived in the South Shore community area of Chicago, Illinois.

Her mother, Marian L. (Shields) Robinson (July 30, 1937), is credited with "keeping house and home together" [1] during Barack Obama's presidential campaign. The only living grandparent of Sasha and Malia Obama, she lives with Barack and Michelle Obama in the White House.

Michelle Obama dropped most of her professional responsibilities when her husband Barack Obama announced his candidacy for president in order to help him campaign. She has given numerous speeches and appeared on several talk shows in support of her husband, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Colbert Report. Michelle came under fire when she said, "for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback." The Obama campaign responded to the criticism by saying that her remarks were made in the context of the campaign and that she was, in fact, a proud American. Despite the comments, many political pundits said they believed Michelle Obama was a strong asset to her husband's campaign because of her public speaking credentials.

In March 2009, Michelle Obama's favorability ratings rose 28 points from where she was in the summer of 2008, to 72 percent. Despite an initial reaction that was less than favorable, respondents to an initial poll indicated that her role with children and her family had helped improve their view of the new first lady.WashingtonPost.com: Michelle Obama's Popularity Increases (March 30, 2009)

Michelle Obama began a campaign against childhood obesity in February 2010, sending out the following email to whitehouse.gov subscribers:

Good Afternoon,

I’m writing to share a startling prospect: due to rising levels of childhood obesity, our Nation’s youngest generation could actually face a shorter expected lifespan than its parents.

That’s unacceptable. As Americans, we all work tirelessly to provide a better world for the next generation. As a mother, I can tell you that nothing is as important as a child’s health.

The problem is clear. Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in this country have tripled. Today, obesity and excess weight threaten the health of one out of three American children.

It’s time for us to act. That's why I’m asking you to be part of Let's Move! -- a nationwide effort to solve the obesity epidemic within one generation. Learn more here:

http://www.letsmove.gov/

Today, pediatricians treat children with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even Type II diabetes. Teachers see bullying and teasing in class. School counselors see kids with depression and low self-esteem. Coaches see kids struggling to keep up or stuck on the sidelines.

Obesity affects our economy as well. Our country spends nearly $150 billion treating obesity-related conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. We can expect that number to grow unless healthy changes occur.

I hope you’ll take a moment to join community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, moms and dads across the country. Together, we will work to help our kids eat better and lead active, healthy lives. Thank you,

Michelle

First Lady Michelle Obama The White House