She fought to combat childhood obesity with the Let’s Move! campaign and her expansion of the White House Kitchen Garden. Mrs. Obama invited students to help harvest in her garden every spring, summer, and fall to reinforce the importance of healthy eating. To promote childhood nutrition, she hosted a Kids’ State Dinner every year that highlighted the innovative recipes of America’s youngest chefs.
She also challenged young adults to continue their education after high school through her Reach Higher initiative. This included talking with students about the opportunities and resources available to make higher education a reality. Each year she gave commencement speeches at graduations across the country, selecting schools with social, cultural, and historical significance. Mrs. Obama is an accomplished and compelling public speaker, but more important, her remarks resonated with people because she spoke from the heart.
Through her Joining Forces initiative, Mrs. Obama worked with Dr. Jill Biden to support veterans and military families. Together they focused on the important issues of combating veteran homelessness and providing employment opportunities and mental health services, while celebrating the contributions of those who have served our country.
Regardless of the event, she always took the time to greet people. She shared smiles, encouraging words, and plenty of hugs. This was not always ideal for the staff members responsible for scheduling her time. But the First Lady insisted that you never know what people are going through in their lives. Sometimes the extra hug or compliment can mean all the difference—and that’s worth taking the extra time.
Mrs. Obama and her team proved that you can accomplish a lot with a little. You just need the courage to reach higher.
Mrs. Obama talks with students during a meal they prepared following the harvest of the White House Kitchen Garden, June 6, 2016.
The First Lady participates in an Animal Planet Puppy Bowl filming on the South Lawn of the White House, October 28, 2013. Harriet Tubman Elementary School students, the Obamas’ dog Bo, and puppies participate in the filming.
Everyone knows there are two things that Mrs. Obama absolutely adores: kids and puppies.
This taping on the South Lawn seemed to have the perfect ingredients to make a great segment promoting the Let’s Move! campaign. But as everyone knows, there are also two things that are completely unpredictable: kids and puppies.
The film directors had to figure out how to keep the kids’ attention while also making sure the puppies didn’t run away. Luckily, I was just there to capture the scene.
First Lady Michelle Obama and Ellen DeGeneres share a laugh during an interview for The Ellen DeGeneres Show in Burbank, California, March 12, 2015.
First Lady Michelle Obama hugs Ellen after preforming a Let’s Move! dance with the So You Think You Can Dance dancers, March 12, 2015.
First Lady Michelle Obama tapes a Funny or Die segment to promote healthy eating with Billy Eichner of “Billy on the Street” and Big Bird at a Safeway in Washington, DC, January 12, 2015.
First Lady Michelle Obama joins children for a yoga class during a Let’s Move! after-school activities event at Gwen Cherry Park in Miami, Florida, February 25, 2014.
Children line up (while others try to cut in line) to get a hug from Mrs. Obama following the Let’s Move! event.
President Obama and Mrs. Obama attend the Cannon Ball Flag Day Celebration at the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Reservation in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, June 13, 2014.
The First Lady and 2013 NBA Champion Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra and players Ray Allen, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh tape a Let’s Move! nutrition PSA segment in the Map Room of the White House, January 14, 2014.
Mrs. Obama and LeBron James participate in videobomb pranks during a taping in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, January 14, 2014.
Mrs. Obama takes part in a fencing demonstration with Ibtihaj Muhammad of the US Olympic Fencing Team during the 2016 Olympics 100 Days Out event in Times Square, New York, New York, April 27, 2016.
The First Lady talks with service members at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, November 3, 2015.
Mrs. Obama takes a selfie with a service member following a veterans job summit at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, April 23, 2014.
First Lady Michelle Obama listens to the challenges faced by tenth-grade students at Bell Multicultural High School, in Washington, DC, November 12, 2013.
Mrs. Obama signs autographs in a hotel room after delivering the keynote address at Disney’s Veterans Institute workshop at the Disney Boardwalk Inn, Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, November 14, 2013.
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden greet Lieutenant Shaye Lynne Haver and Captain Kristen Griest, the first women to graduate from the US Army Ranger School, during a Joining Forces luncheon on Veterans Day at the Naval Observatory Residence in Washington, DC, November 11, 2015.
This photo and following photo: First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden share some light moments, along with Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, during rehearsal prior to the kick-off of the fifth anniversary of their Joining Forces initiative on NBC’s The Voice in Burbank, California, May 2, 2016.
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden participate in a taping in the Diplomatic Reception Room (this photo) and the Map Room (following photo) of the White House, January 15, 2014.
Students react to seeing the First Lady’s motorcade following a surprise visit to Howard University in Washington, DC, September 1, 2016.
Mrs. Obama listens to the concerns of high school and college students during a discussion about higher education at Howard University in Washington, DC, April 17, 2014.
This photo and following photo: The crowd reacts as the First Lady arrives on stage after being introduced by comedians Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy during a College Signing Day event at the Harlem Armory in New York, New York, April 26, 2016.
Mrs. Obama talks with students who have overcome substantial personal challenges to graduate from high school, during her first Beating the Odds roundtable discussion in the East Reception Room of the White House, July 8, 2014.
This photo and following photo: Mrs. Obama speaks at the King College Prep graduation ceremony at Chicago State University’s Jones Convocation Center in Chicago, Illinois, June 9, 2015. Mrs. Obama and the graduating class paid tribute to Hadiya Pendleton, who was killed by gun violence in 2013. She would have received her diploma with King’s class of 2015.
The First Lady attends the City College of New York commencement ceremony on the CCNY Harlem campus in New York, New York, June 3, 2016. Orubba Almansouri, who was born and raised in Yemen, delivered an empowering salutatory address about the importance of giving girls the opportunity to get an education.
Mrs. Obama learns about composting with students at Philip’s Academy Charter School in Newark, New Jersey, April 7, 2016.
It was a rainy, windy day, and we were all glad that the weather cleared long enough for us to visit the rooftop garden at Philip’s Academy Charter School in New Jersey, one of the stops on Mrs. Obama’s school gardens tour. She wanted to highlight many of the inspiring garden programs for the Let’s Move! initiative.
Students were so excited to show off what they had learned about composting. They offered Mrs. Obama gardening gloves, but she declined, telling them that she doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. While demonstrating the different stages of composting, one of the girls found a worm. She hadn’t expected to find it, and she laughed. Mrs. Obama picked the worm out of her hands and lifted it up to eye level. Then a sudden gust of wind sent her hair flying, and everyone laughed. It was a fun moment to capture.
Mrs. Obama gardens with students in the White House Kitchen Garden, April 2, 2014 (this photo), April 5, 2016 (second photo), October 6, 2015 (third photo).
The First Lady hugs a student following the spring garden planting in the White House Kitchen Garden, April 2, 2014.
Mrs. Obama eats with students in the White Hous
e Kitchen Garden, June 6, 2016.
Mrs. Obama harvests kale with students in the White House Kitchen Garden, June 6, 2016.
The First Lady and Tammy Nguyen walk under the new arbor in the White House Kitchen Garden, October 5, 2015.
Before the dedication of the White House Kitchen Garden, Mrs. Obama walked under the new arbor with student Tammy Nguyen. Tammy introduced the First Lady for the garden dedication, as she had six years earlier during the launch of the Let’s Move! initiative.
The new arbor was crafted from wood sourced throughout the United States, including pine and walnut harvested from the estates of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe and the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. The First Lady stood under it as she spoke:
“This garden has taught us that if we have the courage to plant a seed, then take care of it, water it…weather the storms that inevitably come, if we have the courage to do that, we never know what might grow. Now that’s what this garden has taught me, to be fearless in those efforts, to try some new things, to not be afraid to mess up.”
Chapter 4
A WORLD OF POSSIBILITY
My time as a White House photographer moved as quickly as our motorcade. The faces of the people we met, the stories we heard, the lessons we learned, the interesting places we visited—the colors, the culture, the history—everything was being absorbed as quickly as the eye could see. Yet each of these experiences left lasting impressions.
In my four years at the White House, I traveled to twenty countries and countless cities across the United States. I documented Mrs. Obama as she visited schools, gardens, palaces, ancient ruins, sacred sites, and cultural and historical landmarks. I photographed her as she met dignitaries, royalty, celebrities, artists, and students.
Overseas travel was important to strengthen America’s bond with other countries, as well as to promote the issues most important to Mrs. Obama. This was especially true for her Let Girls Learn initiative, which focuses on global education for girls. I was fortunate to be able to witness and document the growth of this program since its launch. I will never forget the young women we met around the world and their inspirational stories of courage, strength, and determination. It was a life-changing experience to be in the presence of such hope in the face of adversity.
Mrs. Obama encouraged the students to believe in themselves and not let any negative voices hold them back from achieving their dreams. Her words made me think of my own career path, and the negative voices I had encountered. I blocked out the voices of those who told me to get a “real” job, who told me that it wouldn’t be possible to make a living as an artist. Instead, I chose to listen to another artist, my father, who was a landscape architect. He said, “Put cotton in your ears and keep on going.” It was a silly saying but it worked.
I had always dreamed that being a photographer would take me to faraway places, and I was so grateful to be able to travel as part of the First Lady’s team. Every day, I was able to see the world and all its possibilities.
The First Lady joins Taiko drummers at center drum prior to a tour of the Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine in Kyoto, Japan, March 20, 2015.
Mrs. Obama walks through a tunnel of torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Shinto Shrine.
First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a traditional tea ceremony with Caroline Kennedy, US Ambassador to Japan, at the Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, March 20, 2015.
First Lady Michelle Obama is welcomed by a student at Hun Sen Prasat Bakong High School in Siem Reap, Cambodia, March 21, 2015.
First Lady Michelle Obama, Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler Radelet, and Chief of Staff Tina Tchen celebrate after a Let Girls Learn event in Siem Reap, Cambodia, March 21, 2015.
This was a really exciting day because the First Lady, along with her Chief of Staff Tina Tchen and Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler Radelet, had the opportunity to meet with young women from Siem Reap, Cambodia, who benefited from the Let Girls Learn initiative.
Let Girls Learn shed light on the sixty-two million girls worldwide who do not have the opportunity to get an education. Let Girls Learn addressed the range of challenges preventing adolescent girls from reaching their full potential.
This initiative began as a dream of Mrs. Obama’s. And after many years of work and creating partnerships with organizations such as the Peace Corps, in 2015 this dream became a reality. The other organizations involved include the Department of State, the US Agency for International Development, the US Department of Labor, the US Department of Agriculture, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the US President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief.
In the years to follow, we would travel all over the world, meeting courageous young women who were determined to get an education, despite their circumstances.
This photo and following photo: First Lady Michelle Obama tours Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, March 21, 2015.
The First Lady waves as she departs Siem Reap International Airport in Siem Reap, Cambodia, March 22, 2015.
The First Lady is welcomed by students at Mulberry School for Girls in London, England, June 16, 2015. She visited the school to discuss cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom to improve educational opportunities for girls around the world through the Let Girls Learn initiative.
The First Lady meets with Prince Harry for tea to discuss the Let Girls Learn initiative and support for veterans, at Kensington Palace in London, England, June 16, 2015.
The First Lady, along with daughters Sasha and Malia, views Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper with Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife, Agnese Landini, and daughter, Ester Renzi, at the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, June 17, 2015.
First Lady Michelle Obama tours the Mirror Room in the Italian Pavilion with Mrs. Agnese Landini at the Milan Expo 2015 in Milan, Italy, June 18, 2015. Mrs. Obama led the presidential delegation to the expo, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.”
At the Milan Expo, a range of the latest technology was on display. The Mirror Room was one of the most visually engaging stops on our tour with Mrs. Agnese Landini, the wife of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.
The room was filled with mirrors, and on one wall constantly changing scenes were projected. It was a particularly interesting challenge to keep myself out of the picture while photographing in a room full of mirrors.
The First Lady travels by boat in Venice, Italy, June 19, 2015.
Mrs. Obama jumps rope during a game demonstration with students, daughters Sasha and Malia, and her mother, Mrs. Marian Robinson, at the City Wall in Xi’an, China, March 24, 2014.
The First Lady and daughters Sasha and Malia feed apples to giant pandas during a visit to the Giant Panda Research Base in Chengdu, China, March 26, 2014.
Mrs. Obama gets a closer look at the Terra-cotta Warriors in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, China, March 24, 2014. Cao Wei, Director of Terracotta Warriors, leads the tour.
The First Lady participates in tai chi with students from Number 7 School in Chengdu, China, March 25, 2014.
The First Lady hugs her daughters Sasha and Malia as they visit the Great Wall of China in Mutianyu, China, March 23, 2014.
Mrs. Obama rides a toboggan at the Great Wall of China in Mutianyu, China, March 23, 2014.
It was a welcome surprise to learn that we would be riding the toboggan on the Great Wall of China. I needed to get to the bottom early in order to capture photos of Mrs. Obama’s experience, so I was one of the first people in our group to ride down. I must’ve looked funny cruising down on the small sled loaded up with all my camera gear. It was entertaining to see everyone in our group ride down, especially the line of Chinese Secret Service agents in suits! I loved capturing this photo of Mrs. Obama—it was refreshing to see her smiling face as she sped down the hill with her Secret Service agent behind her.
Mrs. Obama greets students following a Let Girls Learn discussion with Soledad O’Brien at Fabrica de Art
e in Havana, Cuba, March 21, 2016.
The First Lady takes a photo with audience members during a Let Girls Learn event at Centro Metropolitano de Desino in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 23, 2016.
The First Lady dances with José Lugones during a State Dinner hosted by President Mauricio Macri and Juliana Awada, First Lady of Argentina, at Centro Cultural Kirchner in Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 23, 2016.
During the official State Dinner in Buenos Aires, Argentina, President Obama and Mrs. Obama were invited to dance the tango with the performers.
Chasing Light Page 3
