Michelle Obama
Leadership is about making the right decisions and having the confidence to defend them. A leader, therefore, is someone who rules, guides, and inspires others to follow in a certain direction. To be successful, leaders need to be empathetic and connect strongly with people and have them believe in a certain cause. A good leader knows how to turn their ideas and futuristic vision into real-world success stories. African American women have faced many gender and racial challenges since time in history (Murtadha & Watts, 2005). These perceived challenges have had an impact on the leadership practices of African American women, and they have had to work twice as hard to get the recognition they rightfully deserve.
Michelle Obama is the first African American First Lady of the United States. She is a writer, lawyer, mother, and wife of the 44th President, Barack Obama. She is a charismatic and authentic leader who is a role model for many women around the world. Her main initiatives include higher education, healthy families, and adolescent girls’ education internationally. Michelle was born on the south side of Chicago and raised by her parents Fraser and Marian Robinson. She studied in Chicago public schools and later joined Princeton University, where she pursued Sociology and African American studies. In 1988, she graduated from Harvard Law School and joined Sidley & Austin law firm, where she met her now-husband, Barack Obama. She launched various campaigns such as the Let’s Move, Joining Forces, Reach Higher, and Let Girls Learn. Michelle Obama is a strong-willed woman who defines herself and what she stands for rather than being defined by her husband. She encourages young people around the world to embrace hard work and become future leaders. Michelle portrays leadership qualities to be emulated by many. In her speeches, it is also evident that she holds a high level of self-respect and respect for others.