Michelle Obama Opens Up About The Racism She Faced As First Lady

Being the First Lady of the United States is no easy feat, and the added layer of being African-American no doubt dredges up our nation’s ugly history of racism.

At the Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s 30th Anniversary event, Michelle Obama opened up about her experience as America’s first Black first lady.

In an interview with WFCO President and CEO Lauren Casteel, Obama discussed shattering the glass ceiling. When Casteel asked which of the falling glass shards cut her the deepest, Michelle Obama eloquently answered, “The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut. Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won’t see me for what I am because of my skin color.”

She added that she can’t pretend like it doesn’t hurt because that lets the people who do the hurting off the hook. “Women, we endure those cuts in so many ways that we don’t even notice we’re cut. We are living with small tiny cuts, and we are bleeding every single day. And we’re still getting up.”

In a crowd of 8,500 people, Obama encouraged women to seize their power and don’t let go. While she didn’t address President Trump directly, she threw some shade at the current administration and warned against the belief that the United States was falling apart. “The people in this country are universally good and kind and honest and decent. Don’t be afraid of the country you live in. The folks here are good.”

Michelle Obama also reiterated for the millionth time that she will not seek public office.  

The WFCO event was a fundraiser for the organization. Other invited speakers included Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne, former first lady of Colorado and WFCO co-founder Dottie Lamm.

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have largely stayed out of the public since leaving the White House, but recently emerged on several speaking tours after a post-presidency vacation. Mrs. Obama also spoke at the Partnership for a Healthier America summit in May.