By Emma Harding

They say that behind every successful man is a strong and wise woman. So what can be said about the woman behind one of the world’s most influential AfroGlobal leaders? Michelle Obama—who celebrated her birthday last week—is not only the wife of the 44th President of the United States and the first AfroGlobal First Lady, but also an accomplished professional in her own right. She is a qualified lawyer, university administrator, and bestselling author.

Now 56 years old (and still looking incredible), Michelle was raised on the South Side of Chicago and went on to graduate from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. Throughout Barack Obama’s presidency, she remained remarkably authentic and grounded, sharing her experiences with honesty and grace. In her 2018 bestselling memoir Becoming, Michelle reflects on her upbringing, her journey, the challenges she faced as First Lady, and how she ultimately discovered her own voice.

More recently, she released Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice, a thought‑provoking companion to the memoir designed to help readers explore and rediscover their own stories.

Towards the end of last year, Michelle spoke alongside actress Julia Roberts and activist Deborah Henry to 200 young leaders from across the Asia‑Pacific region as part of a one‑year leadership programme under the Obama Foundation. In her talk, she emphasised the importance of planning your joy. She noted that while people spend a great deal of time planning their work, they often forget to plan moments of joy—especially during difficult times. By intentionally planning joy, she said, you create space to expect it.

Michelle has also spoken openly about imposter syndrome, particularly as it affects minorities—something many of us can relate to. She shared her own experiences of feeling like an imposter, despite having worked across multiple sectors, running her own non‑profit organisation, serving as a vice president for community development at a hospital, and ultimately becoming First Lady of the United States. She explained that even while sitting in high‑level corporate rooms, she realised that many people there did not truly belong—and she was not one of them.

Michelle Obama’s story continues to inspire millions, reminding us that authenticity, resilience, and self‑belief are powerful tools for navigating life’s challenges and claiming our place in the world.