by Carmen Oleksinski
Everyone knows of Michelle Obama - her charisma, her eloquent speeches, her general warmth and kindness in a political atmosphere in which such qualities are in very short supply. But what do we know about Michelle? How did she become such a well-respected public figure that seems unshakeable?
At the autumn book club, other Women in Transport members who were wondering the same thing joined together to discuss Michelle’s autobiography.
Becoming Me
The book is split into three parts. The first, Becoming Me, regards her upbringing in the south side of Chicago. On a personal level, I loved this portion of the book as I was born in Chicago and still have family roots there. I wasn’t the only one though. Many attendees were also able to identify some relatable element in the form of her strong relationship with her parents and mentors, her drive to succeed, or the hard work she put in to break class barriers by becoming a lawyer. She also discusses her first experiences of racism, which informed her passion of creating equal opportunities for all people.
Becoming Us
Becoming Us, the second section of the book, relays the part of Michelle’s life in which she meets and falls for Barack. Many people enjoyed hearing the lighthearted stories, such as Barack teasing that he would never propose marriage, to the more personal ones, such as their lessons learned in couples’ therapy. The overall takeaway is that they are a refreshingly normal couple, but one that still had to find ways to navigate two careers. She explained the importance of not losing oneself in a relationship but rather striving to inspire the best in one another. Motherhood is also a major theme of this section, and she reflected on the ways that having children caused her to reassess priorities in her life.
Becoming More
Finally, Becoming More, recounts her journey from Chicago to the White House. It was a fantastic look into the political machinery that goes on behind the scenes of an election and presidency. She details her experiences being drawn, somewhat reluctantly, into the public eye. Becoming First Lady did not come with an instruction manual. On the contrary, it is a role that is not formally defined. She set out to identify what the role meant to her, which did not always come easy. She also had to use her judgement on when to stay strong and not to take no for an answer - something we’ve all had to contend with!
For someone having held such powerful positions, Michelle Obama’s story is very relatable yet inspirational. Michelle is known for saying that she has no interest in entering political office. Instead, I look forward to continuing to watch her lead by example of what it means to live true to oneself.
Save the date
The Women in Transport Book Club will continue to meet quarterly, with the next session scheduled for Tuesday 26 January from 18:30 to 19:30. To reserve your place click here..
Help us to decide what to read at future sessions. Something to help build professional skills? A book addressing race and equity? An interesting memoir? Take our very quick poll to let us know what you’re interested in.
Annual membership of Women in Transport is £60 per year providing access to professional development and networking opportunities. We very much welcome guest blogs from our members - a great way to share the incredible diversity of opportunity in transport, raise your profile and connect with our community.
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