What It Takes to ‘Become’ the World’s Most Admired Woman

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is a global superstar with a recent poll designating her the “most admired” woman in the world. The past year elevated the Chicago native beyond the nation’s highest levels of the political arena and made her an international brand capable of packing stadiums with fans who wanted to hear her share advice and read from her bestseller, ‘Becoming.’

“She is so relatable, no nonsense-oriented, and laid-back in a way that is like your next-door neighbor or the good person that you hope that you could have in your life,” said Dr. Shayla Nunnally an associate professor with a joint appointment in Political Science and Africana Studies at the University of Connecticut. “Her background story translates into the person that she has ‘become.’”

An Ivy League-educated attorney and mother of two described by her husband, former President Barack Obama, as his “rock,” Mrs. Obama dedicated her years in the White House to serving military families, women and girls. She championed healthy living by creating a vegetable garden at the White House, provided the inspirational lead in exercise and fitness, and promoted legislation requiring schools to offer nutritious lunches to students. And, she sought to tame the hostility in the nation’s political discourse with her famous statement at the 2016 Democratic Convention, “When they go low, we go high.”

Dr. Cherisse Jones-Branch, a history professor at Arkansas State University, remarked, “I think what makes Michelle Obama the most admired woman in the world is her beauty, grace, and most importantly, her intelligence.”

Mrs. Obama topped Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey in the poll. Former Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton landed the eighth spot. Current First Lady Melania Trump was selected as the 19^th most admired.

The adoration heaped upon the daughter of the Southside evolved over eight years as the nation’s First Lady. When Mr. Obama began his Presidential campaign, critics targeted his wife and sought to paint her as outside the mainstream.

Noting the irony, Nunnally explained, “She seems quite down-to-earth, despite having an Ivy-League pedigree that may stereotype her to be pretentious. This is all keeping in mind that this down-to-earth spirit that has “become” integral for her persona stands in contrasts to the New Yorker magazine cover which depicted her as an Afro-wearing militant, who also was portrayed as unpatriotic.”

What a difference a decade makes. As the 2020 Presidential election looms, Democrats hope to reclaim the White House. They will most likely need campaign help from the world’s most admired woman who just so happens to have lived there with the world’s second most admired man.