The First Lady taking questions on Twitter. via @FLOTUS

Michelle Obama took to Twitter yesterday to take questions about her anti-obesity initiative “Let’s Move,” just one more way the First Lady has been out there promoting the program in recent weeks. Although some people used it as an opportunity to take shots at the President and the program, it was effective for getting the word out.

“Since 2009, Mrs. O has effectively used social media, especially Twitter, to promote her causes and reach people she might otherwise miss. But her husband’s opponents know how to use social media, too, to promote their causes and to bash the president through the first lady,” writes USA Today.

Still on tour to promote “Let’s Move! Active Schools,” which the White House hopes will be adopted by 50,000 U.S. schools, Michelle Obama held her first Google+ hangout last week.  And while the First Lady may appear to be having a lot of fun, dancing with kids and even “mom dancing” with NBC late night host Jimmy Fallon, it is also about business, reports TheGrio.  For the fitness movement, FLOTUS has partnered with a long list of corporate partners such as  Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Darden Restaurants, and Nike, which put up $50 million to support fitness programs including “Let’s Move! Active Schools,” which will be administered outside the White House.

Source(s): WENN, Telegraph

It seems that almost everyone has an opinion about the eye-catching clothing worn by First Lady Michelle Obama. Whether she selected her garbs from the local Target or had her dress custom designed by Naeem Khan, one thing is for sure: whatever the FLOTUS puts on is sure to be the topic of conversations. Eric Wilson of the New York Times recently caught up with famed fashion designer, Vivienne Westwood. The 71-year-old designer, who just a few weeks ago publicly criticized Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton for not recycling her outfits enough, also had a few negative things to say about Mrs. Obama’s sense of style.

When asked by Wilson during the Q&A session whether or not she loved Michelle Obama for making a conscious effort to recycle her clothing, Westwood surprisingly responded:

“Don’t talk about her. It’s dreadful what she wears.”

Clearly thrown off by Vivienne’s statement, Wilson replied, “What?” attempting to gain clarity.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Really, I can’t. She’s a very nice looking lady, but it’s a nonstarter regarding clothes that suit her. Jackie Kennedy was a different matter altogether. It just has to suit her and be something that makes a human being more glamorous. That’s what fashion is there for. It’s there to help, not just to make you look more conservative,” Vivienne explained.

While I’m sure there are many who wouldn’t agree with Westwood’s statement, everyone is entitled to their opinions.

What do you think of Vivienne’s take on Michelle Obama’s clothing choices?

Source: ABC

In her first sit-down interview since President Obama’s inauguration, First Lady Michelle Obama chatted with the wonderful Robin Roberts of ABC to discuss the latest addition to her childhood obesity efforts, the Hadiya Pendleton tragedy that shook the nation and why America’s children have been one of her biggest priorities since her husband’s 2008 presidential election.

On gun violence and the Hadiya Pendleton tragedy:

“Hadiya was an honor student. One of the things that her mother said at the funeral was ‘I did everything I was supposed to do,’ and she was absolutely right. She did everything she was supposed to do. She was standing out in a park with her friends a few blocks away from where my kids grew up, where our house is and she was caught in the line of fire. I just don’t want to keep disappointing our kids in this country. I want them to know that we put them first.”

On her fight against childhood obesity with the “Let’s Move” campaign: 

“When we started, there were a lot of people in this country who would’ve never thought that childhood obesity was a health crisis. But now we’re starting to see rates of obesity coming down like never before. This new initiative that we’re announcing, the ‘My Plate Recipes’ partnership, we’re collaborating with some of the top media companies in this country and they are compiling and labeling and promoting recipes that meet the ‘My Plate’ guidelines.”

On a lighter note, the FLOTUS also humorously discussed how President Obama is handling raising a teenager in the White House and the possibility of Malia dating.

“Fathers in particular, I don’t think they really know how they’re going to feel until it happens. There’s nothing like the look on his face when Malia dresses up for a party and she’s heading out. She walks past and you can see his face sort of just … drop a little bit. He’s a little gray. People think the gray is from his job, it’s from his children. So, we’ll see how that goes.”

Check out the video of Mrs. Obama’s interview on the next page.

FLOTUS is making big news on the Internet after a surprise appearance on last night’s Oscar broadcast that’s getting as much discussion as the Academy Award winners themselves.

After being introduced by Jack Nicholson, Michelle Obama, who made the unannounced appearance live from the Diplomatic Room of the White House, paid tribute to Hollywood, celebrating movies “that lift spirits, broaden our minds and transport us to places we never imagined,” reports The Hollywood Reporter.

“These nine movies took us back in time and all around the world,” she said. “They made us laugh, made us weep, and they made us grip our armrests just a little tighter. They taught us that love can endure against all odds and transform our lives in the most surprising ways. And they reminded us that we can overcome any obstacle if we dig deep enough and fight hard enough and find the courage to believe in ourselves.”

The First Lady even made a fashion statement with a Naeem Khan dress, which she wore to the White House Governors’ dinner earlier in the evening.

White House communications director, Kristina Schake, told THR,  “The Academy Awards approached the First Lady about being a part of the ceremony. As a movie lover, she was honored to present the award and celebrate the artists who inspire us all – especially our young people – with their passion, skill and imagination.”

Besides the Oscars, a video of her “mom dancing” with Jimmy Fallon during her recent appearance on his show has gone viral. She had visited his show to promote her “Let’s Move” fitness campaign. In a sketch she did before a sit-down interview with Fallon, the pair struck many an awkward pose during a performance entitled “The Evolution of Mom Dancing,” reports the Global Post newspaper. So far, the video on YouTube has 4,153,252 views. Check it out below if you haven’t already.

The skit was a spoof on the wildly popular “Evolution of Dance,” which went viral and has been viewed more than 200 million times on YouTube, according to MSNBC.

Some are saying that the First Lady might be making too many appearances. Is it possible for her to become overexposed?

Source: Witches’ Brew

The morning following last month’s presidential inauguration, you may have scrolled through your Facebook feed only to find the above collage with a caption that read, “Based solely on historical contributions, should Jay and Bey be in this collage?”  Call me a progressive-thinker, or maybe it’s because I spend a majority of my days with teens who have to explain to me what words like “trappin’” and “ratchet” mean, but I found myself wondering, “Why wouldn’t they be?” Meanwhile, co-workers and Facebookers truly surprised me with responses like, “They haven’t broken any racial barriers or anything,” and “Beyoncé and Barack don’t even belong in the same category.”

I beg to differ.  And the question then becomes, what does it take to be considered “black history”? The significant contributions of those that today’s youth identify with may not be sit-ins for social change or marches breaking racial barriers, but does that make them any less a part of our culture? Yesterday’s Jackie Robinsons are today’s Jay-Zs in their eyes.  When you think of black history, American entertainers and famous figures of today could be considered the black history of this generation’s tomorrow. If this is a collage about social change and politics, then maybe Bey and Jay should have a seat. But if we want to talk about African Americans who have made significant contributions to our culture, yes, they are in the same category as our POTUS and FLOTUS. They’ve built brands and businesses and broken records. Barack, Beyoncé and Booker T. Washington have more in common than you think: they’ve all made history and opened many a door.

Just hear me out.  I definitely agree our generation is plagued by a frightening disconnect between sacrifices of yesterday’s leaders that are responsible for so many of the opportunities we often take for granted today.  One of the reasons why I fell in love with President Obama’s message and mission is because I feel like he truly understands what so many of us fail to grasp:  In order to make our youth understand and value the opportunities that have been presented to them, we have to meet them where they are at. How can we expect young people to truly appreciate their history and culture if we fail to acknowledge the idols who have made history during their lifetimes?  President Obama got it right when he invited Jay-Z to do a voice over for his campaign ads.  One of the reasons why his election was so greatly affected by the high number of young voters was because he understood that they would never hear his message for change if they felt he was someone who couldn’t understand their voice as well.

Let’s be honest, when black history month rolled around, for 28 days throughout our childhoods we saw the same names in rotation: Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and George Washington Carver, aka, “The Peanut Guy.”  And while I could appreciate the paths they had paved, a part of me couldn’t truly identify with their struggle.  “You have to know where you came from to know where you’re going,” sounded profound and all, but it’s only as an adult that I’m starting to realize how heavily our present successes rest on the shoulders of our history. When I was in ninth grade, all I cared about was making sure my Timberland sign showed on my boots.  I cared more about what I was wearing to school as opposed to the fact the ancestors lost their lives so that I could even attend.  When trying to relate anything to our young people from black history to birth control, you have to speak in their language and become familiar with what is important to them before you can attempt to teach what SHOULD be important to them. Acknowledging the contributions to our culture that today’s leaders in entertainment, politics and sports bring to the table doesn’t diminish or throw shade on the foundation that was built from those who fought and died for the belief in something better.  We have to do more than throw on the Roots anthology and repeat, “People have died for the rights you take for granted.”  We have to find a way to make it relate to the things they are going through today.

Closing that gap requires us to challenge our stagnant way of thinking that says that black history is something that began and ended and acknowledge it as an ongoing process that only continues to grow greater. And as with any culture, that means accepting it in its totality and not just picking the parts we’re personally proud of. What we shouldn’t do is make black history some outdated, pretentious social club that those born before 1960 have the monopoly on and act as though black history isn’t accepting any new members.

Before talking about how Sidney Poitier was the first African American to win an Academy award, try mentioning the fact that Tyler Perry is the first African American ever to launch his own major TV and film studio. Can we show the same love that we showed Jackie Joyner Kersee and Wilma Rudolph, to Serena Williams and Gabby Douglas?  Maybe, just maybe, our kids will talk about Alicia Keys like we once talked about Aretha Franklin. And before catching feelings over the bible Barack Obama is using, take a few minutes to consider the fact that we have lived to see our first black president. There’s surely enough pride to go around.  The fact that our leaders of yesterday have leaders of today to help bear the burden of uplifting our culture is not a threat but a credit to all of their sacrifices.  And although we may not want our kids breaking out at the black history recital with a rendition of “Single Ladies,” it’s as much a part of our culture as “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Like it or not.

How do you define black history?

Toya Sharee is a community health   educator  and   parenting education coordinator who has a  passion  for helping  young women  build  their self-esteem  and make  well-informed choices  about their sexual  health.  She  also  advocates for women’s  reproductive rights and blogs  about  everything  from  beauty to love  and relationships.  Follow her on Twitter   @TheTrueTSharee or visit  her  blog Bullets  and   Blessings .

Yesterday news broke that a top secret photo shoot was going down at the White House when the Washingtonian spotted a team from Vogue scurrying across the White House lawn with cameras, making their way into the First Couple’s home. It seems that First Lady Michelle Obama may be gracing the cover of the iconic magazine’s March issue.

It is being said that famed celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz was responsible for capturing the magic on Vogue‘s behalf.

So far there’s no word on what the FLOTUS wore for the shoot, but according to reports, Vogue generally allows their subjects to choose from a variety of carefully selected clothing, shoes and accessories.

It hasn’t been revealed whether or not President Obama had any involvement in the shoot; however, his public schedule was open yesterday.

At this point, these are all speculations made by the Washingtonian and Vogue has declined to comment on them, but the idea of the First Lady appearing on the cover of Vogue‘s March issue isn’t exactly far fetched since she appeared on the fashion publications March issue back in 2009, which was also captured by Annie Leibovitz. When asked about the First Lady’s potential cover shoot, Vogue‘s Director of Communications, Megan Salt responded “We never comment on rumors about future editorial.” This news comes in the wake of previous circulating rumors that Beyoncé would be on the cover of the publication’s March issue.

Mark Knoller, CBS News’ White House Correspondent, however did confirm Vogue‘s presence at the White House yesterday via his Twitter page.

“Today at the WH. No public events on the president’s schedule today, though Vogue is bringing camera gear into the WH this morning,” he tweeted.

He also revealed that a Vogue rep. was also present on the presidential press plane earlier this week.

“Vogue also had a representative on the press plane to and from Las Vegas Tuesday.”

While all of this is exciting, all we can really do is wait for the issue to hit newsstands. I think that Bey would make a wonderful cover girl, but we’ve been seeing a whole lot of her lately. I would love to see to Mrs. Obama grace the cover again.

Photo courtesy of WENN

Jazmine Denise is a news writer for Madame Noire. Follow her on Twitter @jazminedenise.

Source: NY Daily News

The beautiful relationship shared between President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama is the epitome of Black love at its best. The way that these Harvard graduates feel about each other is very apparent because it shines through in nearly everything that they do. If you’ve ever wondered how the First Couple keeps it all together and still appear to be so very much in love after twenty years of marriage, two children, and four years in the White House, pull out your pen and pad. In their first interview together since the election, Barack and Michelle share with Barbara Walters the story behind their infamous campaign trail photograph in which they are depicted on stage in an extremely loving embrace. Barack also revealed the secret to a successful marriage.

When asked by Barbara why the two were hugging each other so tightly in the photograph, President Obama responded “Cause I love my wife.” Michelle had more to say about the photograph, expressing that the couple had been apart for a substantial amount of time due to campaign efforts.

“And also I hadn’t seen him in a while. When campaigning we were like two ships passing in the night and the first time I saw him was when I walked on stage to greet him. And that’s my honey giving me a hug,” the First Lady added.

Barbara, clearly aware of the strong bond shared between the POTUS and the FLOTUS, then asked the couple how they keep the fire in their marriage going after all of these years. Barack’s response was refreshingly insightful and so far from common clichés that many married couples are known for dishing out.

“We’ve been married now twenty years, and like every marriage you have your ups and you have your downs, but if you work through the tough times the respect and love that you feel deepens.”

It sounds so simple, but when you think about it, it makes so much sense. Many couples head for the hills at the first sign of turbulence, but a love that endures tests and trials is a love that will continue to grow.

Check out a clip of the interview on the following page. What do you think of President Obama’s explanation for keeping his love alive?

Source: ABC News

Pause for Michelle Obama’s fabulous green dress.

And we’re back…

This morning, the Commander-in-Chief and First Lady graced the set of “The View” to talk about all those super cute things we love about them, like where they shared their first kiss, how the President tucks Michelle in at night, and how they want to retrace their honeymoon voyage once they leave the White House (in 2016 hopefully).

The mood was definitely light, despite the fast-approaching election day. The president did briefly address his opponent Mitt Romney and his plans for the country over the next four years, but the highlight of their appearance was definitely the Barack-Michelle love fest.

Check out a couple clips here if you missed the show this morning. Don’t you just love them?

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By Keli Goff

Michelle Obama with Curly Hair?

March 23rd, 2012 - By Bianca Clendenin

Wouldn’t it be nice to see FLOTUS with curly hair? That’s what someone thought when they Photoshopped curls on the First Lady.

However, while all the natural hair bloggers exploded with glee over this photo, it was debunked by natural hair guru Curly Nikki with this post

 The tweet that made me lose it–

Now, let it marinate.

Photoshopped?.. Yes, sadly, but I can stare at it all day long. Hell, I might even print it and pin it up somewhere.

Also, whoever is responsible for this… *raises hand* me next!

Aww Man, wouldn’t it be such a powerful statement in Michelle started rocking curly hair or a fro? America isn’t ready for that though.

How do you feel about this look on FLOTUS?

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black women, curly hair, Curly Nikki, first lady, flotus, michelle obama, natural hair

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