Michelle Obama

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjI-8e-kZriAhWS6FQKHeM9B8kQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fobamawhitehouse.archives.gov%2Fblog%2F2012%2F05%2F12%2Ffirst-lady-michelle-obama-addresses-virginia-tech-graduates&psig=AOvVaw1_DIGMuRPP42vtzAGdlzKY&ust=1557892898370023First Lady Michelle Obama Addresses Virginia Tech GraduatesWhen you are married to the president of the United States, is it really necessary to be the most helpful person? Would you go out of your way, every single day, just to help others? Many people would not. Many people would take advantage of their power and abuse it by lazing about. Michelle Obama breaks that standard of an ordinary person. But she wasn’t always above average; she started just like the rest of us. Michelle LaVaughn Robinson grew up in Chicago, Illinois,  and went to a normal middle school and high school. But as she progressed through them she started to separate herself from others by working much harder. She got into a highly regarded college, Princeton University, and then into a prestigious Harvard Law School. After graduating from Harvard, she immediately went into a law firm in her hometown. After marrying Barack Obama, she changed her last name and together they stepped foot into the political territory. She admits that she was “particularly resistant when her husband told her about his decision to run for the U.S. Senate in 2004,” (Michelle) because she didn’t want him to be disappointed if he did lose. But she was proven wrong and his popularity skyrocketed up to the point where he got elected as the president of the United States; turning Michelle Obama into the first lady. This is where it comes back to the question what would most people do when they become the first lady? Michelle Obama decided to take important matters into her own hands, and be the best person she could be every single day. Throughout her life, Obama shows the characteristics of being a role model and being empathetic, two key qualities that make up a hero.

Role models are people who other look up to because of their good qualities and how they carry out their, presumably, good deeds. “As First Lady, Obama promoted healthy eating and physical activity as an antidote to the national obesity epidemic” (Contemporary). She took advantage of the power she had for a good source; attempting to control the obesity’s current rapid rate of growth. Obesity wasn’t the only problem that Obama was trying to fix. She and “Jill Biden launched a program to encourage and support military families” (Contemporary). Many veterans have a difficult time doing well in society because they spent their whole life serving and protecting the country instead of going to a high status college or following some other passion that could have led to something when they were younger. Because of this Michelle Obama decided to take matters into her hands, along with Biden, to try and normalize the veteran’s, and their family’s, lives.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiGubqpkpriAhVnjVQKHRLbBtwQjRx6BAgBEAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fgageskidmore%2F30162191540&psig=AOvVaw1_DIGMuRPP42vtzAGdlzKY&ust=1557892898370023Michelle ObamaThe definition of empathy is being able to understand and connect with people because of their emotions. Empathy is a very difficult quality to hold because you always are thinking about how the other side is thinking, sometimes even before you consider your own feelings. Michelle Obama portrays her empathetic qualities by “leaving her big salary behind, [she] worked on human-services initiatives in Mayor Richard Daley's office” (Contemporary). Human-services are things that help the community such as teaching, or nursing. Being caring is also a huge part of empathy. To sacrifice yourself for the greater good of others is a very caring act. Not only did she join a human-service job, she also helped start an important movement for obesity. “Obama helped launch the well-publicized nationwide initiatives Let's Move! to combat childhood obesity and Joining Forces to encourage employment and other support for U.S. military veterans and military families” (Encyclopedia) Obesity is a growing problem for everyone in America. The number of people that are obese have almost doubled from 10 years ago, and the percentage of children that are obese has increased drastically. To attempt to stop this problem from escalating any further, Michelle Obama started the campaign Let’s Move. Through her actions of sacrifice for others and trying to prevent the obesity problem from growing any larger shows how Michelle Obama is a caring hero.

Being an inspiration to someone is part of what makes a good hero. Michelle Obama inspires me every single day. She is a terrific hero because she displays qualities of empathy and being a strong role model. Someday I would want to be considered a hero to someone. Everybody should strive to be like the hero Michelle Obama.

WORKS CITED

"Michelle Obama." Contemporary Black Biography, vol. 61, Gale, 2007. Biography In Context,

https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1606003703/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=a01c67

a. Accessed 30 Apr. 2019.

"Michelle Obama." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 33, Gale, 2013. Biography In

Context,

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Accessed 2 May 2019.