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MONTHLY ARCHIVES
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Michelle Obama: Mentor-In-Chief
November 02, 2009 4:57 PM
ABC News' Yunji de Nies Reports:
Michelle Obama welcomed nearly two dozen 10th and 11th grade girls to the White House this afternoon, kicking off the First Lady’s leadership and mentoring initiative.
“Mentoring has been something that has been important to me forever,” Mrs. Obama told the group, "The one thing I knew I wanted to do was to use this platform as First Lady to expand the mentoring role."
"I really want kids, young people in this nation to know that when they think of the White House that they think of a place that is open to them. A place where there are folks who really care about their development and want to listen and be part of your growth and want to invest in you as a resource," she said.
The students in the program attend Washington D.C., Maryland or Virginia public and private schools, a number of them are also from local military families who have a family member serving abroad or who have had a family member lose their life while serving. Principals from the students’ schools were asked to select girls who they believed would benefit the most from such a program, not necessarily the highest or lowest achieving students.
The First Lady touched on familiar themes - telling the group that there is no "magic" to her nor the President, but that they achieved their success thanks to caring adults throughout their lives.
"One thing that we did have were parents that cared about us, a few people in our lives that really took an interest, people who really wanted us to flourish. And that's really all that it takes. It doesn't take anymore than consistency and love," she said.
Mrs. Obama said throughout her adult life, she and her husband have shared the desire to be "bridge builders."
"When we came to the White House, we thought 'Wow, we've got the most powerful seat in the land to help be a bridge builder. And we thought, 'What can we do to make the White House different? To make kids in our own neighborhood know that the White House is a place for them?'"
"The President of the United States hears you and values you and cares about your growth and development, so that's why we started this program. I am so excited and moved to have you all here," she said, her voice cracking as she seemed to almost choke back tears.
The students will each be matched with a White House staffer. The mentors are all women - a mix of the East Wing (Desiree Rogers, Susan Sher and Camille Johnson) and West Wing (Valeria Jarrett, Melody Barnes and Christina Romer). Mrs. Obama will not take on a specific mentee, rather she will meet with all of the girls involved. The specifics of the program are still being worked out, but aides say the young women will meet on a monthly basis with their mentors, most likely in groups. Aides say the First Lady wants to make sure the students learn “life skills” – basics like how to balance a checkbook, how to apply for student loans, write a college essay, how to speak in public, a skill they say the communications team will be involved in. In the future, some of the students may accompany the First Lady on various public engagements.
The First Lady says she is asking the girls for just one thing in return: "When you get to this position in your life, that you do the same thing for somebody else," she said.
"It doesn't take much to pull somebody up," Mrs. Obama continued, "We keep doing that as women, holding one another up, pushing each other forward, there's no telling what we can do."
The First Lady’s office says the West Wing will launch a similar program for boys in the near future. The White House hopes to inspire adults around the country to get involved and mentor students in their communities.
Mentors in attendance today:
Cecilia Munoz
Lisa Brown
Melody Barnes
Cassandra Butts
Mary DeRosa
Danielle Gray
Heather Higginbottom
Nancy Hogan
Camille Johnston
Desiree Rogers
Cecilia Rouse
Sonal Shah
Susan Sher
Liz Sears Smith
Tina Tchen
Heather Zical
Beverly White
Mentors not attending today:
Dr. Jill Biden
Carol Browner
Martha Coven
Anita Dunn
Alyssa Mastromonaco
Christina Romer
Valerie Jarrett
FLOTUS Fashion Watch: Mrs. Obama wore brown pinstripe slacks, a pink shirt, leopard print cream, brown and pink cardigan with gold embellishment, topped with a large brown belt.
November 2, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (26)
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I read such hard comments over such a simple kind gesture. My heart aches for your Country.
BC, Canada
Posted by: Faith | Nov 3, 2009 3:38:27 PM
These are people who consider the likes of "Rev." Wright family.
O's mentor. I would not want them around my kids, nor their Czars & cronies.
Posted by: Lincoln | Nov 3, 2009 2:35:46 PM
Posted by: MayBee | Nov 3, 2009 12:37:12 PM
Women mentoring women. How shocking.
Posted by: tierra | Nov 3, 2009 2:13:41 PM
Let me make that last thought more clear.
The reports are that President Obama will start a mentoring program of his own.
I think there is going to be a problem if he mentors only boys. Then boys will be mentored by the President of the United States, while girls are relegated to second tier.
If President Obama includes girls, then Mrs Obama is left looking as if a program led by a woman can only be for women.
Those are not good signals from the White House.
Posted by: MayBee | Nov 3, 2009 12:37:12 PM
Whether you like it or not boys and girls ARE different. They have different needs and in a lot of cases different wants and ways to achieve.
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At what age do we expect women and men start to achieve in the same way? I remember Larry Summers getting in quite a bit of trouble for implying men and women might have such differences.
What does any of this have to do with the first lady not having male mentors in her program, or boys?
Posted by: MayBee | Nov 3, 2009 12:13:38 PM
strongly support such a program, I do have a few concerns:
Our first lady appears to not include young women from any area other than the Washington D.C. and surrounding area.
Photo opportunities involve only young black women.
Has she forgot that our country has poor people, Blacks, Caucasians, Hispanic, Orientals and mixed races in many other parts of this country?
If such a program is sponsored by our first lady she must recognize she is the first of all of the United States and not only for a part of the country and young women of her racial choice.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Are you really serious about your concerns? So the first time the First Lady jets to Chicago, New York, Houston or elsewhere some people would be whining about their tax dollars being used so the First Lady can indoctrinate young girls.
Why make a comment that the First Lady only has photo ops with her and young black women. You can't be serious???
And I can most certainly assure you that the First Lady knows the make up of this country. However there are an awful lot of people who wish the make up weren't so diverse. In fact, a lot of people are really threatened by the make up of the current White House.
Posted by: catmom | Nov 3, 2009 11:54:35 AM
Why must they be separate? Why do the girls get announced first?
Oh, for goodness sakes. Whether you like it or not boys and girls ARE different. They have different needs and in a lot of cases different wants and ways to achieve. Get over it and stop criticizing just for the sake of criticizing.
Perhaps if Republicans/conservatives/Obama haters didn't criticize EVERYTHING the President and First Lady do, some of their criticisms, concerns, complaints would be taken serious by us so called "Obamaites".
Posted by: catmom | Nov 3, 2009 11:45:18 AM
The "Dream Team" cencorship is in high gear today. Freedom of speech is only allowed to spew hate & name calling to conservatives.
Posted by: John | Nov 3, 2009 10:20:46 AM
teirra:Why not?
=========
Because, although Mrs. Obama said:
"It doesn't take much to pull somebody up," Mrs. Obama continued, "We keep doing that as women, holding one another up, pushing each other forward, there's no telling what we can do."..
I think a message of people of different genders learning from and respecting each other, rather than separating themselves for success, teaches a much more important life skill.
I don't like the message coming from the very top that as First Lady, Michelle Obama must lead a group of women and girls.
As I understand it, POTUS will be leading another group. What will NOW have to say about it if the President of the United States only mentors boys?
Posted by: MayBee | Nov 3, 2009 10:10:29 AM
Sorry but I wouldn't want my daughter to learn 'life skills' at the White House.
Posted by: jeff | Nov 3, 2009 8:17:16 AM
"There are those that will complain about something and those that will complain about everything."
______________________________________
Exactly, there's a dodo bird contingent comes to this site to criticize ANYTHING the first family does - take the kids for ice cream, grow a garden and bring in school kids for some hands on, start a mentoring program, increase health coverage for kids, simplify bureaucratic forms . .. it doesn't matter.
The constant criticism is very revealing. We're dealing with zealots.
Posted by: tierra | Nov 3, 2009 2:21:33 AM
"Why must they be separate? Why do the girls get announced first?"
__________________________________
Why not?
Posted by: tierra | Nov 3, 2009 1:22:45 AM
This is wonderful! Obviously, the Washington D.C. women can only directly interact with their local young women, however, I hope that this is an example for state and city politicians and their spouses to step up to the plate. Also, it would be wonderful to see some of the former first ladies of our nation to become involved. Everyone needs to know that they are cared for and thought about. It takes a wonderful person to give their time and attention to another. Good luck with this program.
Posted by: Nelle | Nov 2, 2009 10:57:30 PM
And to Maybee: There will be another program for boys.
=======
Why must they be separate? Why do the girls get announced first?
Posted by: MayBee | Nov 2, 2009 10:36:25 PM
I think this is terrific, and innovative. I have never heard of any other first lady doing this.
To Soeren: I think you meant to say "Asians." I haven't heard the word "Orientals" used since the 1950s.
Of course the program only is for girls in the DC area. It would be impossible to provide face-to-face mentoring of someone who lived hundreds of miles away.
And to Maybee: There will be another program for boys.
I think that some people are just looking to find fault with everything the Obamas do. This is why our country is so partisan and so many people can't get along.
If you want to expand the program, do it yourself - be a mentor to someone in your own community. If you choose not to, you should also choose to stop judging those who try to make a difference!
Posted by: Karen | Nov 2, 2009 9:39:28 PM
There are those that will complain about something and those that will complain about everything. For once, look at the positive whether how small and appreciate what you have.C ongrats to those girls selected by their principals for participating in a program that they can pass on to the next generation.Starting small is much better than not starting it at all.
Posted by: Tricia | Nov 2, 2009 9:33:34 PM
Has she forgot that our country has poor people, Blacks, Caucasians, Hispanic, Orientals and mixed races in many other parts of this country?
==============
Not to mention our country also has lots of boys.
This is a program involving girls and women only.
Posted by: MayBee | Nov 2, 2009 7:25:48 PM
I strongly support such a program, I do have a few concerns:
Our first lady appears to not include young women from any area other than the Washington D.C. and surrounding area.
Photo opportunities involve only young black women.
Has she forgot that our country has poor people, Blacks, Caucasians, Hispanic, Orientals and mixed races in many other parts of this country?
If such a program is sponsored by our first lady she must recognize she is the first of all of the United States and not only for a part of the country and young women of her racial choice.
Posted by: Soeren | Nov 2, 2009 7:23:26 PM
What a wonderful idea and great opportunity for these girls--to have access to the attention, experience, support, and advice of such talented women. I wish everyone involved the best
Posted by: larkeymom | Nov 2, 2009 7:13:52 PM
TO JANET: PERFECT! I wish I said that.
Posted by: TUXENT13 | Nov 2, 2009 6:59:38 PM
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