Michelle on Her Portrait: Girls of Color Will See Someone Who Looks Like Them

M Obama But all ░░░░░░░░ folks who helped me ░░░░░░░░ here today they are ░░░░░░░░ us physically and in ░░░░░░░░ I am thinking about ░░░░░░░░ grandparents Rebecca and Purnell ░░░░░░░░ Southside as he is ░░░░░░░░ now throughout the nation ░░░░░░░░ and Fraser Robinson Jr ░░░░░░░░ were all intelligent highly ░░░░░░░░ men and women They ░░░░░░░░ the kind of talent ░░░░░░░░ work ethic that usually ░░░░░░░░ people for greatness But ░░░░░░░░ dreams and aspirations were ░░░░░░░░ because of the color ░░░░░░░░ their skin I m ░░░░░░░░ course thinking about my ░░░░░░░░ Fraser Robinson III a ░░░░░░░░ who sacrificed everything to ░░░░░░░░ me and my brother ░░░░░░░░ he never dreamed for ░░░░░░░░ And of course I ░░░░░░░░ thinking about my mommy ░░░░░░░░ Robinson who is sitting ░░░░░░░░ the front row supporting ░░░░░░░░ like she has always ░░░░░░░░ always putting herself last ░░░░░░░░ her list so that ░░░░░░░░ could give me and ░░░░░░░░ and our children everything ░░░░░░░░ makes today possible I ░░░░░░░░ also thinking about all ░░░░░░░░ young people particularly girls ░░░░░░░░ girls of color who ░░░░░░░░ years ahead will come ░░░░░░░░ this place and they ░░░░░░░░ look up and they ░░░░░░░░ see an image of ░░░░░░░░ who looks like them ░░░░░░░░ on the wall of ░░░░░░░░ great American institution Applause ░░░░░░░░ I know the kind ░░░░░░░░ impact that will have ░░░░░░░░ their lives because I ░░░░░░░░ one of those girls ░░░░░░░░ when I think about ░░░░░░░░ future generations and generations ░░░░░░░░ I think again wow ░░░░░░░░ what an incredible journey ░░░░░░░░ are on together in ░░░░░░░░ country We have come ░░░░░░░░ far And yes as ░░░░░░░░ see today we still ░░░░░░░░ a lot more work ░░░░░░░░ do But we have ░░░░░░░░ reason to be hopeful ░░░░░░░░ proud And I am ░░░░░░░░ grateful to have had ░░░░░░░░ opportunity to stand alongside ░░░░░░░░ husband and play a ░░░░░░░░ small part in that ░░░░░░░░ and in that future.”