| |
|
| |
Michelle
Obama
speaks
in
Detroit
to a
sold-out
house at
LCA
By
Ellen
Chamberlain
Tell Us
USA News
Network
DETROIT
- Former
First
Lady,
Michelle
Obama,
spoke to
a
sold-out
crowd at
Little
Caesars
Arena on
Tuesday
December
11,
2018.
The New
York
Times
bestselling
author
stopped
in
Detroit
on her
'Becoming'
book
tour for
an
intimate
conversation
moderated
by
comedienne
and
author,
Phoebe
Robinson.
More
than the
words of
wisdom
and
encouragement
spoken,
Mrs.
Obama
created
an air
thick
with
warmth
and
camaraderie.
The
simple
act of
crossing
Woodward
with the
hope of
avoiding
the
bumpers
of ne’er
do well
Detroit
drivers
was an
experience
of love
and
laughter
between
strangers.
As
men and
women
waited
in
sub-freezing
temperatures
to enter
LCA, the
air was
almost
melodic
with
patrons
swapping
their
favorite
passages
from the
book or
expressing
their
hopes
for what
the Ivy
League-educated
mother
of two
would
discuss.
The
number
of men
in
attendance
was both
surprising
and
heartening.
The
light
atmosphere
carried
over to
concession
and
restroom
lines,
alike.
When one
entered
the
arena,
lightning
replaced
light as
an
electric
vibe
overtook
the
entire
space.
Mrs.
Obama’s
production
team
played a
carefully
curated
playlist
of music
that was
nostalgic,
empowering
and kept
people
on their
feet as
they
awaited
the
beginning
of the
show.
Several
videos
were
shown
that
highlighted
her work
as First
Lady and
gave a
more
personal
look
into her
family
life and
marriage
to
America’s
44th
president,
Barack
Obama.
“We
were the
44th
family
to live
in that
house,”
Mrs.
Obama’s
voice
could be
heard
over the
excitement
of the
crowd on
the
speakers.
“The
11th to
serve
two
complete
terms.
But we
will
always
be the
first
Black
family,”
she
mused.
Phoebe
Robinson
– who
also
moderated
the
Philadelphia
date –
did
excellent
work of
balancing
the
light
with the
dark.
Within
moments
of
sitting
down
with
Mrs.
Obama
she
managed
to
squeeze
in her
new
affectionate
nickname,
“Mich,”
several
times.
Obama
responded
in kind,
adapting
“Phoebes”
as her
friendly
moniker
for the
moderator
throughout
the
evening.
No
subject
was off
limits
as, it
seems,
no topic
was off
limits
in the
writing
of
Becoming.
“You
guys
know
that I’m
an open
book,”
Mrs.
Obama
addressed
the
audience
directly.
“The
things
that I
share in
the book
don’t
feel
like
things I
wouldn’t
share
[any
other
time].”
Robinson
led
Obama on
an easy
journey
through
the
subjects
discussed
in the
memoir,
taking
deeper
dives
where
the
audience
would
want
“the
real
tea,” as
the
ladies
joked.
They
wove
from
growing
up on
Chicago’s
south
side to
meeting
“President
Bae.”
Mrs.
Obama
spoke
with
poise
and
grace
about
fertility
struggles,
raising
two
children
and
not-so-pleasant
White
House
memories.
Bitterness
was
absent
from her
tone.
She
spoke
frankly
and
injected
the
humor
and
charm
that
helped
America
fall in
love
with her
before
the 2008
election.
The
overall
theme of
the tour
is to
encourage
attendees
with
Mrs.
Obama’s
story
and to
examine
what
they are
“becoming.”
“I want
young
people
to
understand
that
there’s
a
difference
in doing
what you
have to
do and
finding
your
passion,”
she
said,
once
again
directly
addressing
the
audience
of men,
women
and
children.
Detroit’s
Becoming
conversation
will
lead to
an
additional
21 dates
that
Mrs.
Obama’s
team has
added to
the tour
for
2019.
To date,
her book
has sold
over 3
million
copies,
worldwide.
Detroit,
what are
you
Becoming?
|
| |
|
|
|
|
I
HI TECH NEWS
I
SPORTS
I
