If you aren’t able to secure tickets to see our forever first lady, Michelle Obama, on her second book tour, make sure you tune in to REVOLT TV tonight!
Mrs. Obama has been making the promotional rounds for her latest release “The Light we Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times,” including a stop with Revolt TV. Viewers can tune in at 8:00pm EST on December 14 to watch “REVOLT x Michelle Obama: The Cross-Generational Conversation,” which was filmed in Atlanta at REVOLT’s headquarters.
This original special is moderated by radio host Angie Martinez and features a powerhouse panel of incredible women, including businesswoman Tina Knowles-Lawson, supermodel-activist Winnie Harlow, and Grammy Award-winning recording artists Kelly Rowland and H.E.R. “The multigenerational conversation spotlights the former first lady’s insights on mother-daughter dynamics, the power of fatherhood, and choosing a partner as the panel discusses her new bestseller,” a statement from REVOLT reads.
As REVOLT’s CEO Detavio Samuels shares, “We are honored and excited to partner with Michelle Obama to produce such a powerful special that features a panel of brilliant Black and Brown women speaking candidly on important topics that will make you laugh, cry, feel inspired and open your mind to new ways of thinking that can transform your life…From curating a dynamic group of cross-generational women in front of the camera to having woman-led teams driving the project behind the camera, this program reflects our mission to empower Black women on all levels and provide a platform to tell their stories authentically and unapologetically.”
REVOLT shared an exclusive clip with ESSENCE from their new special, where the former first lady discussed why she didn’t want to wear braids while she was in the White House.
WATCH: Michelle Obama on the “trade-off” that led to her not wearing braids in the White House
First ladies—they’re just like us it appears. Particularly when it comes to making decisions to avoid discrimination around styling our hair and experiencing hair bias. Yet another hurdle Black women have to overcome, hair bias is the “negative stereotypes or attitudes that manifest unconsciously or consciously, towards natural or textured hair. Hair bias against natural or textured hair has a distinct impact on black women for whom textured hair is their ‘normal,” according to a 2016 study by the Perception Institute.
Fortunately, times do appear to be changing for the better with the House passing the CROWN Act earlier this year, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair…to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles such as braids, locs, twists, and knots in the workplace and public schools.”
Hopefully this bill will become codified into law, but six years after the Obamas ended their time in the White House, the 44th First Lady is now proudly flaunting her braided hairstyle.
In the cross-generational conversation, she candidly recalled how even bangs were a controversial style during President Obama’s second term. This only reinforced her decision to wear her hair straight during her husband’s presidency calling it “a tradeoff,” a “strategic move,” and all part of being “the first.”
We’re definitely glad Mrs. Obama can shift from strategic trades to microbraids. We love to see it! And you can too, tonight on the REVOLT website, YouTube channel, or the REVOLT app.