Last April, during Bruce Springsteen's concert in Barcelona, something unexpected happened: Michelle Obama, the former First Lady of the United States, who attended with her husband, Barack, surprised everyone by taking the stage alongside the wife of filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Together, they provided backing vocals for The Boss during one of his songs.
This anecdote perfectly embodies Michelle's stellar personality, who, far from the traditional role of a decorative First Lady, presented an image of an empowered woman actively advocating for the causes her husband championed, participating actively in his Democratic Party campaigns.
As the first African-American First Lady in the White House, Michelle achieved a notoriety comparable to Jacqueline Kennedy's, championing causes such as education, healthy eating, sports, gender equality, the rights of ethnic minorities, and overall support for disadvantaged sectors. This did not prevent her from cultivating her own image, regularly appearing on best-dressed lists with her colorful and functional style, without shying away from highlighting her curves and her strong, 6-foot stature. She has featured on the covers of Vogue and is still remembered for the spectacular white dress by Chinese-Canadian designer Jason Wu that she wore to Obama's inauguration in 2009.
Born in Chicago to a working-class family descended from slaves, Michelle's parents, Fraser Robinson, a water plant employee diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and Mariam, a secretary, placed great importance on her education. A brilliant student, Michelle studied Sociology at Princeton, later earning her Law degree in 1988 from the prestigious Harvard University, after which she began her career at the Sidley&Austin law firm, where she met her future husband, Barack Obama. At that time, she was his supervisor as he interned before completing his Law degree at Harvard. The future President of the United States was drawn to Michelle from day one, and with the excuse of attending a meeting together, he cleverly arranged to pick her up. Despite her initial reservations, they became inseparable, marrying in 1992. Their first daughter, Malia, was born in 1998, followed by Sasha three years later. Today, they are considered a very solid couple, although Michelle has admitted their union has faced some challenges, including moments when she has felt like throwing her husband out the window. One of her pet peeves is his passion for golf, confessing on a TV show, "I want to throw his golf clubs in the trash."
The couple, always considering themselves a team, serves as an example of how effective marketing and adept media management have elevated their image to influencer status in American society, even after leaving the White House. Barack, the first African-American US president, is now an icon for civil rights and a global advocate for the 2030 Agenda, focusing on climate change, sustainable development, and renewable energy. This has significantly boosted the couple's bank account, as they declared a net worth of $1.3 million upon entering the presidency, which is now estimated at around $40 million. They also own two mansions in Washington and Massachusetts. Notably, the ex-president commands astronomical fees for his speeches, exceeding some $400,000. Additionally, he has authored several books, including Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope. Together with Michelle, they have created their own communication channels, including a podcast where they share their reflections and a production company, Higher Ground Productions, which puts their personal stamp on scripts. In 2018, they signed a lucrative deal with Netflix to produce documentaries and films, with their latest release, Leaving the World Behind, a catastrophic thriller envisioning the collapse of technology.
Michelle has expressed significant concern about the 2024 presidential elections, as revealed in the program On Purpose, fearing the possibility of Donald Trump once again becoming the Republican candidate. "I am terrified about what might happen; we cannot take democracy for granted," she confessed. Over the years, rumors have circulated about Michelle running for president, a notion she has denied. However, given her popularity, many do not rule out the possibility of seeing her in the Oval Office that her husband once occupied in the past.