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| Michelle Obama urges students to keep up diversity legacy: 'It's your turn now' Michelle Obama urges students to keep up diversity legacy: 'It's your turn now' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| She did not mention the election or Donald Trump once. But Michelle Obama’s message about diversity and inclusiveness was clear. | She did not mention the election or Donald Trump once. But Michelle Obama’s message about diversity and inclusiveness was clear. |
| The first African American first lady addressed a gathering of students – many of them young black women – at the White House on Thursday after a screening of Hidden Figures, a new biopic of three black female mathematicians who helped launch Americans into space. | The first African American first lady addressed a gathering of students – many of them young black women – at the White House on Thursday after a screening of Hidden Figures, a new biopic of three black female mathematicians who helped launch Americans into space. |
| The 16-minute speech was a far cry from the recent election campaign, where she made rousing interventions on behalf of Hillary Clinton, but Obama’s remarks about race and gender were shot through with the new political reality. | The 16-minute speech was a far cry from the recent election campaign, where she made rousing interventions on behalf of Hillary Clinton, but Obama’s remarks about race and gender were shot through with the new political reality. |
| “Look at this eight years,” she said. “We were supposed to be hidden. People didn’t even want to believe we were real. But here we are, eight years later.” | “Look at this eight years,” she said. “We were supposed to be hidden. People didn’t even want to believe we were real. But here we are, eight years later.” |
| The audience applauded and whooped. Obama, wearing black, added somewhat somberly: “But it’s up to all of you, our young people, to continue that legacy. It’s your turn now. All right?” | The audience applauded and whooped. Obama, wearing black, added somewhat somberly: “But it’s up to all of you, our young people, to continue that legacy. It’s your turn now. All right?” |
| It has been a year of bittersweet farewells for Obama. But since the brutal surprise of Trump’s election win, there was now a subdued, steely tone as she described some lessons from the film, directed by Theodore Melfi and starring Taraji P Henson, Janelle Monáe, Octavia Spencer and Kevin Costner. | It has been a year of bittersweet farewells for Obama. But since the brutal surprise of Trump’s election win, there was now a subdued, steely tone as she described some lessons from the film, directed by Theodore Melfi and starring Taraji P Henson, Janelle Monáe, Octavia Spencer and Kevin Costner. |
| Outlining the racial and gender discrimination that faced “human computers” Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, Obama said: “But they didn’t listen to those doubters. You understand? They did not listen to the haters – because they’re always out there – they’re out there even today.” | Outlining the racial and gender discrimination that faced “human computers” Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, Obama said: “But they didn’t listen to those doubters. You understand? They did not listen to the haters – because they’re always out there – they’re out there even today.” |
| And at a time when Trump is drawing up a cabinet dominated by older white men, the first lady continued: “As we move forward in life and we get access to these seats of power, these tables of power, I want you to look around and make sure there’s diversity at the table. | And at a time when Trump is drawing up a cabinet dominated by older white men, the first lady continued: “As we move forward in life and we get access to these seats of power, these tables of power, I want you to look around and make sure there’s diversity at the table. |
| “Because you don’t come up with the right answer if everyone at the table looks the same and thinks the same and has the same experience – you never come up with the best answer. So when you get these seats at these tables of power, your obligation is to make sure the conversation is diverse.” | “Because you don’t come up with the right answer if everyone at the table looks the same and thinks the same and has the same experience – you never come up with the best answer. So when you get these seats at these tables of power, your obligation is to make sure the conversation is diverse.” |
| She added: “Because what we saw in this film is that when we pull together men and women, people of every background and colour and faith, immigrants who’ve come here from across the globe to make America their home – when we bring all of that brainpower to the table, anything is possible, even going to the moon, right?” | She added: “Because what we saw in this film is that when we pull together men and women, people of every background and colour and faith, immigrants who’ve come here from across the globe to make America their home – when we bring all of that brainpower to the table, anything is possible, even going to the moon, right?” |
| President-elect Trump was endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan and accused of tapping into crude white nationalism while insulting Mexicans and Muslims. Michelle Obama was arguably one Trump’s most eloquent and powerful adversaries during the campaign, denouncing his treatment of women after allegations of sexual harassment came to light. | President-elect Trump was endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan and accused of tapping into crude white nationalism while insulting Mexicans and Muslims. Michelle Obama was arguably one Trump’s most eloquent and powerful adversaries during the campaign, denouncing his treatment of women after allegations of sexual harassment came to light. |
| She told the students that if they take anything from the past eight years, “I want you to see that it does not matter what you look like, it doesn’t matter how much money your parents have – none of that matters. Skin colour, gender is the most ridiculous defining trait that we cling to. It doesn’t matter.” | She told the students that if they take anything from the past eight years, “I want you to see that it does not matter what you look like, it doesn’t matter how much money your parents have – none of that matters. Skin colour, gender is the most ridiculous defining trait that we cling to. It doesn’t matter.” |