Beautiful: Michelle Obama Returns to White House With Braids
Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama returned to the White House for their official portrait unveiling. However, it was Michelle who captured the attention of viewers online with her beautiful hair in braids.
Michelle and Barack Obama returned to the White House Wednesday, where the White House Historical Association presented the paintings made by artists Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung. Michelle’s hair was the center focus, along with the stunning portraits.
Michelle Obama is constantly praised online for her youthful appearance and fashionable outfits. It’s clear that the former first lady never misses.
Wow! Michelle is lookin good! ♥️
— paige (@daretothink53) June 20, 2022
Michelle is now being celebrated by BIPOC for wearing braids at the unveiling of her official White House portrait. This stylistic and culturally inclusive decision quickly gained the attention of people online. The comments were filled with BIPOC’s appreciation of the former first lady for representing her community most gracefully.
Michelle Obama is at the White House for her portrait unveiling and her hair is in box braids. You have no idea what seeing that means for Black women. Little Black girls. I’m emotional.
— SimpliiComplexx (@SimpliiComplexx) September 7, 2022
Hair discrimination has recently impacted BIPOC in their personal lives and the workplace. Naturally curly or kinky textured hair and protective styles have been wrongfully perceived as unprofessional. Straight hair has seemingly become the preferred texture to signal middle-class status, while Black women have resisted this idea. Black women around the world have embraced and promoted wearing their natural hair and styles that protect it, which include: box braids, dreadlocks, and cornrows. Since then, the CROWN Act has been passed, which prohibits discrimination based on hair style and texture.
*My hair is professional*
— Dr. Melissa Crum (@MelissaCrum) September 8, 2022
Former FLOTUS Michelle Obama wore braids to the White House portrait unveiling. Too often, Black women in America have to navigate white-centered professional spaces that require us to change our hair for others’ comfort. Learn more about the CROWN Act. pic.twitter.com/RK2IJJYrhS
Mrs. Obama gave a beautiful speech after the unveiling of their official White House portraits. She expressed how she feels to be back at the White House, stating, “Believe it or not, it is still a bit odd for me to stand in this historic space and see this big, beautiful painting staring back at me,” She added. “Traditions like this matter.”
She talks about the pressure that society puts on people to seemingly be perceived as valuable, “Too often in this country, people feel like they have to look a certain way or act a certain way to fit in,” she adds, “that they have to make a lot of money or come from a certain group or class or faith in order to matter.”
She continued, “But what we’re looking at today — a portrait of a biracial kid with an unusual name and the daughter of a water pump operator and a stay-at-home mom — what we’re seeing is that there’s a reminder that there’s a place for everyone in this country because, as Barack said, the two of us can end up on the walls of the most famous address in the world.”
Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech and stylistic choices fuel young people in this country to have confidence in themselves and to keep dreaming. You can watch Michelle Obama’s full White House unveiling portrait speech down below.
