Michelle Obama tells Spelman and Morehouse students that they can excel



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A group of Spelman and Morehouse college students studying Michelle Obama's memoirs, "Becoming," had a special visit Saturday to discuss her work – the former first lady herself.

Obama came to Spelman to talk with the students about the successful book before his Saturday night appearance at the State Farm Arena in downtown Atlanta.

Obama encouraged the 18 students to have confidence in themselves, claiming that she had learned during her eight years at the White House and elsewhere that she was as intelligent and capable as well-educated and well-educated leaders. famous that she had met.

Obama used a phrase made famous by the Atlanta Civil Rights Icon, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., to emphasize his point.

"I went to the top of the mountain and saw it. You deserve and you are worthy, "said Obama.

She then added, "The biggest challenge to overcome now is to believe in yourself."

Over the past semester, students have been studying the theme "Becoming" – written by the first African-American to be the first lady – as a founding text of the "Black Women: Developing Public Leadership Competencies" political science course. . Students sometimes take classes on campus. . Spelman and Morehouse, located near downtown Atlanta, are two of nine black colleges and universities accredited by Georgia.

Several dozens of students and others behind a barricade applauded and greeted Obama when she arrived on campus.

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Obama knows a little Spelman. She was the first speaker of the college in 2011.

The former first lady jokingly asked when she arrived for the discussion in Spelman's Giles Hall, if the students fell asleep reading her book. Not at all, replied the students.

Jordan Barefield, a junior at Spelman, said that "becoming" had increased his motivation to continue his career in the public service, explaining that the examples given by the Obama were "inspiring".

"Being able to dissect this has been a blessing," said Barefield, a major in political science. "It's amazing."

Lanarion Norwood, a student at Morehouse, told Obama that his book motivated him.

"I have to be the fruit of my job and grow up for my country," said Norwood.

Obama approved his fingers several times after his remarks and said: "You are hired" to laugh.

Journalists were not allowed to ask questions during the part of the student's open media version.

Obama spoke of her own experience as a student at Princeton University, where she met people who thought she did not belong to the Ivy League School .

"If you still believe here, as students at Morehouse and Spelman, that you're not good enough, it's not something that's happened to you today, it's probably part of what you have heard and seen throughout your life. And that's your story that you need to know and understand, "she said. "This is the purpose of this book. You must be able to review the moments of your life that brought you to a moment of joy and happiness or to break you and understand how it made you what you are today and what that you will do. recalibrate. "

Zoe Turner, 11, was able to take part in the discussion. She added that Obama's remarks reinforced the lessons of her parents, who brought her to Spelman.

"If someone tells me you can not do something, do not listen to it," Turner said. "Always believe."