Carol Kelly-Gangi - 21 July

It comes as no surprise to the millions of people all over the world who hold Michelle Obama in the highest esteem that she was voted the most admired woman in 2018 according to a December 2018 Gallup poll. She was a groundbreaking First Lady who worked tirelessly for the causes closest to her heart, including womens rights, education, childrens health and well-being, and support for the military community. Since leaving the White House, she has continued to work for these causes and others with the same strength, determination, and grace that she embodied as First Lady.

Michelle Obama: Her Essential Wisdom gathers together hundreds of memorable quotations from this remarkable woman. The selections have been carefully collected from her speeches, conferences, summits, interviews, tweets, social media posts, and other writings. Arranged thematically, the excerpts reveal her keen intellect, steadfast determination, and deep compassion, as well as the integrity, candor, and dignity that she has displayed throughout her incredible public life.

In the excerpts, Mrs. Obama shares her deeply held views about America and her steadfast belief in the American ideals of freedom, equality, and justice, which she and her husband have continually striven to promote. She speaks passionately about the essential need for quality education for children and young people at home and around the globe. In other excerpts, she shares her insights into the struggles that all women face and the particular challenges for women of color. She also offers practical advice for young people, and especially for girls, on the subjects of education, empowerment, and success. Elsewhere, she reflects on the value of hardship, the challenges of racism, the realities of politics, and the need for hope in our lives and in our world.

Many excerpts offer insight into a more personal side of Michelle Obama. She speaks lovingly of her parents and how they each taught and guided her throughout her life. She reveals her deep love and admiration for her husband, as well as the hard work theyve put into their marriage. She shares her devotion to her daughters, Malia and Sasha, and her pride and joy at the women they are becoming. Another chapter provides a glimpse into her wry sense of humor and offers pragmatic wisdom on subjects such as staying true to yourself, dealing with negativity, and handling social media. The final chapter gathers quotations from writers, feminists, artists, designers, family, and friends, who share their thoughtful insights into Michelle Obama and her living legacy.

Michelle Obama: Her Essential Wisdom invites readers to experience the powerful words of this extraordinary woman who continues to inspire and challenge us to embrace our own best selves.

C AROL K ELLY -G ANGI
2019

EARLY YEARS

I am an example of whats possible when girls from the very beginning of their lives are loved and nurtured by the people around them. I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life: grandmothers, teachers, aunts, cousins, neighbors, who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.

TED Talk, Elizabeth G. Anderson School, London,
April 2, 2009

My family was my world, the center of everything. My mother taught me how to read early, walking me to the public library, sitting with me as I sounded out words on a page. My father went to work every day dressed in the blue uniform of a city laborer, but at night he showed us what it meant to love jazz and art.

Becoming

At 6-foot-6, Ive often felt like Craig was looking down on me too... literally. But the truth is, both when we were kids and today, he wasnt looking down on mehe was watching over me.

On her brother Craig Robinson, Democratic National Convention,
Denver, Colorado, August 25, 2008

Getting good grades was always important to me, and it wasnt because my parents were hounding me or that they had the expectation. It was something that I wanted for myself. I wanted an A, you know, I wanted to be smart, I wanted to be the person who had the right answer.

Womens History Month Event, Washington, D.C.,
March 19, 2009

I grew up in a working class family in Chicago. And while neither of my parents went past high school, let me tell you, they saved up every penny that my dad earned at his city job because they were determined to send me to college.

Commencement address, City College of New York,
June 3, 2016

You see, Barack and I were both raised by families who didnt have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuabletheir unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had never imagined for themselves.

Democratic National Convention, Charlotte, North Carolina,
September 4, 2012

[G]rowing up as a black girl on the South Side of Chicago, where the expectations of me were limited, as I was trying to make my way and do good in school and apply to good colleges, there were always people around telling me what I couldnt do, always telling me how far I should only dream. And my reaction to that at that time was to prove the doubters wrong. That spurred meIll show you. They give you strength.