“I have seen how leaders rule by intimidation. Leaders who demonize and dehumanize entire groups of people often do so because they have nothing else to offer. And I have seen how places that stifle the voices and dismiss the potential of their citizens are diminished: how they are less vital, less hopeful, less free.”

American attorney and author

Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is an American attorney and author. She served as First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, during the presidency of her husband, Barack Obama. As First Lady, she was a public figure at the center of national life. She is also known for her work as an author, and her name is closely tied to that role in the public record.