Embed from Getty Images
Yesterday was the seventh annual Giving Tuesday. People are encouraged “to do good” in the world, and often donate time or money to charitable organizations. Michelle Obama did something amazing: she donated more than a half-million dollars to girls’ education:
Michelle Obama is taking Giving Tuesday very seriously: The former first lady, 55, said she will donate more than $500,000 in proceeds from merchandise around her bestselling memoir to support girls’ education worldwide.
“Over the past year I’ve been incredibly blessed and humbled by the response to my book, and I’m proud to channel that enthusiasm toward girls around the world,” she said in a statement. “My hope is that this donation will help more bold and brilliant girls reach their fullest potential, continuing upward on their path toward becoming the women they are meant to be.”
Last year, The Obama Foundation, set up by Former President Barack Obama and Mrs. Obama, launched the Girls Opportunity Alliance to support international efforts to ensure more girls have lasting access to education.
She will travel to Asia this month with Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager, actress Julia Roberts and others as part of the foundation’s work — spotlighting girls and organizations that empower them.
“I’ve always thought of helping others as a responsibility,” Mrs. Obama said Tuesday. “This duty of giving back is what my parents and grandparents taught me, and it’s a value I’ve tried to live by my entire life — because it’s not enough just to make your way through life, thinking only of yourself.”
What an incredible gesture by Michelle. You can read more about the Girls Opportunity Alliance on its website. She’s foregoing her profits from Becoming-related merchandise and will use that money to help girls around the world. can’t help but think of how Melania Trump was just booed by teenagers in Baltimore at a youth summit at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, while talking about her (hypocritical) Be Best campaign. Michelle is actually engaging in meaningful work to better the lives of girls around the world through education, and is reminding people about the importance of helping others, rather than focusing on oneself. Even though I don’t think it’s intentional, I appreciate that when Michelle speaks, a lot of what she says highlights the Trumps’ terrible behavior.
I’m excited to read more about Michelle’s visit to Asia this month. According to People, on Monday, she will be in Vietnam with Jenna Bush Hager and Julia Roberts. Later in the week, they will travel to Kuala Lumpur and then to Malaysia.
Photos credit: Getty and via Instagram
I’m not even American and I miss her like crazy.
Same here :/
Ehem
kuala lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia ;p
+1 Haha I was about to say the same thing.
Miss her every day!!
God I miss her, she is just the best!!! Now I’m so sad because she is not in the White House! This is a fantastic cause, and I’m even going to watch the today show to see it
Really happy Michelle is living her best life. This nation never ever deserved her.
Going from Obama to Trump is bad enough, but going from the brilliant, kind, generous, gorgeous, funny Michelle to the gold digging birther trash hurts so freaking much.
I’m so happy Lin-Manuel didn’t have to stand next to melanie at the National Portrait Gallery. Bet he is, too.
Oh, I’m sure the un-named call outs of Trump and his family are intentional. And I applaud it.
That is awesome! I just read her book, it is excellent, and I learned so much more about what she and her family did during their time at the White House. It was very inspiring.
And oh my goodness, their daughters looks so grown up and beautiful!
A lovely gesture. But I wish we were at a point where progressive taxation and meant we wouldn’t need to rely on the largesse of the wealthy to fund these causes.
I heard Anand Giridharadas on the Preet Bharara podcast, he has a book about that same thing – all about wealth inequality causing all these problems and then the wealthy donating to fix them, rather than things just being fair from the start. It was really interesting.
Her generosity is not surprising and another reminder of why she is loved by so many, worldwide.
Regarding the trip attendees – I was more surprised to read Jenna Bush was going than Julia Roberts.
I more surprised by Julia Roberts — she’s never been noted for her charitable work.
The Obama’s get along with the Bushes, and Michelle has said on several interviews that she was always grateful that Jenna and Barbara were so nice to Malia and Sasha when they first arrived at the White House. She said that Jenna and Barbara showed the Obama girls around the White House, where all the secret places were and how to cope with what was coming, and to call or talk to them at any time if they needed help or questions. I wouldn’t be surprised if they kept in touch tangentially.
ok got it. of the 2 sisters though, isn’t Barbara known for her charity work and philanthropy?
@carmen, But the other one, Jenna, is on TV on one of those morning shows.
What is with that yellow/green dress or whatever it is. She usually dresses so well.
Yes it’s a little loud and looks random on her. I still like it more than that belted purple suit in another pic!
Love the Thanksgiving pic and the purple suit and the glitter suit are amazing on her (especially love her hair in the glitter suit). Yes, from Melania to Michelle is like going from the nadir to the zenith. Michelle is everything; Melania is nothing. Same for the husbands. It’s shocking that the racist reaction to the Obamas brought us to this hellish shithole with trump and wife impersonating a U.S. President and First Lady. Astounding. I’d rather have a horse or an elk as President– at least they’re noble creatures.
Michelle is just everything!
That’s a very kind and generous thing to do !
Our first lady who puts her money where her mouth is.
I love everything about this. But I would say she is indeed showing the world what a good first lady looks like. Luckily her brand of shade benefits others. God I miss her.
I don’t think there is a single public figure I have ever loved more than Michelle, as a nearly 50 year old fangirl… she’s my screen saver on my phone… and yes, this does indeed irk my family.
Look at that beautiful family. And that very proud husband and father. Sigh.
I came here on a wholly shallow note, only to say that I want Sasha Obama’s dress.
I miss this first family so much it hurts. Also, totally digging the purple/glitter combo.