Michelle Obama Invites Posse to Book Tour Event

This past December, Bay Area Scholars and alumni were over the moon about a rare opportunity to see former First Lady Michelle Obama live in San Jose on her Becoming book tour. Tickets were provided by Michelle Obama’s Reach Higher initiative, an effort to inspire every student in the U.S. to take charge of their future by pursuing their education beyond high school.

“Seeing Michelle Obama was truly inspiring!” says Posse Bay Area Director Farah Sutton. “Listening to her speak about her childhood experience, especially the importance of valuing the voices of the youth and fostering them, reaffirmed our work here at Posse.”

“Seeing Michelle Obama was truly inspiring!”

Posse has a special history with the Obamas. In 2009 President Barack Obama donated part of his Nobel Peace Prize award money to Posse, in a gesture of support. During the Obama administration, Posse Scholars and representatives were invited to and honored at multiple White House events.

Michelle Obama has said that it was important to her that Becoming events were accessible to as many people as possible—not just to those with means or who happened to be by a computer when tickets went on sale. She has given away thousands of tickets to young people growing up in communities like her own home neighborhood in Chicago.

“I’m so incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity,” says Claremont McKenna Posse alumna Monique Cadle. “Watching Michelle Obama reminded me that there’s no better time than now to live with purpose and conviction. I needed to hear that.”