This is what 60 looks like.
Happy birthday to my better half — who happens to be one of the funniest, smartest, most beautiful people I know. @MichelleObama, you make every day better. I can’t wait to see what this new decade brings you.
This year has tested us in many ways, but Christmas is a reminder of the power of community to keep us together even in difficult times. Wishing you all a peaceful holiday.
Here are some of my favorite songs from this year. Let me know if there are any artists or songs I should check out.
As I usually do during this time of year, I wanted to share my favorite books, movies, and music of 2023.
First up, here are the books I’ve enjoyed reading. If you’re looking for a new book over the holidays, give one of them a try. And if you can, shop at an independent bookstore or check them out at your local library.
What were some of your favorite books this year?
Earlier this year, writers and actors went on strike to advocate for better working conditions and protections. It led to important changes that will transform the industry for the better.
Here are some films that reflect their hard work over the last year — including some like Rustin, American Symphony, and Leave the World Behind that we were proud to release through @HigherGroundMedia.
What films did I miss?
*Update: I just saw The Color Purple and loved it. I’m adding it to this list as one of my favorite movies of the year.
As the year winds down, we’re reflecting on the work the @ObamaFoundation was able to do to inspire, empower, and connect people around the world.
In 2024, we’re ready to build on that progress. That means continuing to build the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago. It means welcoming more young changemakers into our Leaders programs. And it means opening more doors for boys and girls through the @MBK_Alliance and @GirlsOpportunityAlliance.
We hope you’ll join us in this work: Obama.org/donate
Hanukkah has always been a celebration of resilience, which is especially important during a time when we’ve seen a rise in antisemitism here at home and around the world. To Jews everywhere who are lighting the first candle tonight without a loved one, we grieve with you and pray for the return of all those who are still being held away from their families. And to everyone living through this time of so much darkness, let’s do what we can to be a source of light and hope.
Yes, the Affordable Care Act is still providing coverage to millions of Americans.
And yes, it’s still a BFD.
Sign up at Healthcare.gov before January 16.
If you’re looking for more ways to help folks in Lāhainā and on Maui, I hope you’ll consider donating to these local organizations that are providing direct support on the ground:
The Maui Strong Fund from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation
Hawaiʻi Red Cross
Maui Rapid Response
Maui Humane Society
New Life Kahuku Inc.
The Wildfire Relief Fund
Learn more at the link in my bio.
Dr. King’s commitment to equality and justice inspired generations to fight for civil rights. His words continue to resonate around the world, and #MLKDay serves as a reminder to all of us to keep building on his legacy. If you can, take a moment today to think about how you can make your neighborhood or your community stronger — in ways large or small.
It’s now been one year since @POTUS signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law—lowering health care costs for families and investing in our future by accelerating the transition to clean energy.
Today, the Inflation Reduction Act is already making a difference. First, it helped strengthen the Affordable Care Act by capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month for millions of seniors and saving nearly 15 million people hundreds of dollars a year on their health insurance premiums.
The Inflation Reduction Act is also helping drive a boom in American clean energy manufacturing. Businesses have announced more than 270 new clean energy projects in the last year alone—creating more than 170,000 jobs in 44 states. And more local investments are being announced every day.
This matters. The heatwaves in the Southwest, the floods in the Northeast, and the devastating wildfires we’ve seen across the country and in my home state of Hawai’i are all reminders that the climate crisis is here. By 2030, the Inflation Reduction Act could help cut carbon pollution by 41 percent from peak levels—potentially saving thousands of lives every year.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are working every day to deliver a better future and grow the middle class—and the Inflation Reduction Act is an example of the groundbreaking investments they’ve made since taking office. Here’s to another historic year.
Happy National Run for Office Day! Whether you’re looking to serve as a state legislator, mayor of your city or on your local school board, we need more people sharing their talents and perspectives at all levels of government. Go to runforofficeday.com to learn how you can get started.
Richard Hunt was an acclaimed sculptor and one of the finest artists ever to come out of Chicago. Michelle and I are thinking of Richard’s family today — and we are eternally grateful that his sculpture, “Book Bird,” will sit outside a new branch of the @ChicagoPublicLibrary at the Obama Presidential Center. It will be an inspiration for visitors from around the world, and an enduring reminder of a remarkable man.
Richard Hunt was an acclaimed sculptor and one of the finest artists ever to come out of Chicago. Michelle and I are thinking of Richard’s family today — and we are eternally grateful that his sculpture, “Book Bird,” will sit outside a new branch of the @ChicagoPublicLibrary at the Obama Presidential Center. It will be an inspiration for visitors from around the world, and an enduring reminder of a remarkable man.
Richard Hunt was an acclaimed sculptor and one of the finest artists ever to come out of Chicago. Michelle and I are thinking of Richard’s family today — and we are eternally grateful that his sculpture, “Book Bird,” will sit outside a new branch of the @ChicagoPublicLibrary at the Obama Presidential Center. It will be an inspiration for visitors from around the world, and an enduring reminder of a remarkable man.
American Symphony, a film by @MHeineman from @HigherGroundMedia, tells the story of @SuleikaJaouad’s courageous battle with leukemia, with her partner @JonBatiste by her side.
Every year, 12,000 Americans like Suleika are diagnosed with blood cancer or other blood disorders. And for many, a blood stem cell or marrow transplant from an unrelated donor is their best hope for recovery.
That’s why the @NMDP_org and @MemorialSloanKettering launched the American Symphony: Become A Lifesaver campaign to register more donors and help more patients find a match. Visit JoinTheSymphony.org to learn how you can make a difference.
And if you haven’t already, watch American Symphony now streaming on Netflix.
Had fun surprising a group of students at Parkside Community Academy—a future neighbor of the Obama Presidential Center being built on Chicago’s South Side—to spread some holiday cheer. Take a look: Chicago, Illinois
On #HolocaustRemembranceDay, we pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Elie Wiesel: a writer, activist, and Holocaust survivor who used his voice to educate the world on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the collective duty we have to confront systems of oppression.
In addition to writing his seminal memoir “Night,” Wiesel was a passionate activist who used his platform to shine a light on injustice, emphasizing the power of storytelling to eradicate hate and promote human dignity. His commitment to public service has inspired the work of many world leaders, including President Obama.
At the Obama Presidential Center, the Foundation will celebrate the work of people like Dr. Wiesel through named spaces on campus that honor those “on whose shoulders we stand” – individuals who have contributed to the advancement of equality and justice in the United States and around the world. The campus will include the Dr. Elie Wiesel Auditorium: a space for people to tell their stories, engage in discourse, and find collaborative solutions to help build a safer and more just society.
To learn more about the Elie Wiesel Auditorium, click the link in our bio.
On #HolocaustRemembranceDay, we pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Elie Wiesel: a writer, activist, and Holocaust survivor who used his voice to educate the world on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the collective duty we have to confront systems of oppression.
In addition to writing his seminal memoir “Night,” Wiesel was a passionate activist who used his platform to shine a light on injustice, emphasizing the power of storytelling to eradicate hate and promote human dignity. His commitment to public service has inspired the work of many world leaders, including President Obama.
At the Obama Presidential Center, the Foundation will celebrate the work of people like Dr. Wiesel through named spaces on campus that honor those “on whose shoulders we stand” – individuals who have contributed to the advancement of equality and justice in the United States and around the world. The campus will include the Dr. Elie Wiesel Auditorium: a space for people to tell their stories, engage in discourse, and find collaborative solutions to help build a safer and more just society.
To learn more about the Elie Wiesel Auditorium, click the link in our bio.
On #HolocaustRemembranceDay, we pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Elie Wiesel: a writer, activist, and Holocaust survivor who used his voice to educate the world on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the collective duty we have to confront systems of oppression.
In addition to writing his seminal memoir “Night,” Wiesel was a passionate activist who used his platform to shine a light on injustice, emphasizing the power of storytelling to eradicate hate and promote human dignity. His commitment to public service has inspired the work of many world leaders, including President Obama.
At the Obama Presidential Center, the Foundation will celebrate the work of people like Dr. Wiesel through named spaces on campus that honor those “on whose shoulders we stand” – individuals who have contributed to the advancement of equality and justice in the United States and around the world. The campus will include the Dr. Elie Wiesel Auditorium: a space for people to tell their stories, engage in discourse, and find collaborative solutions to help build a safer and more just society.
To learn more about the Elie Wiesel Auditorium, click the link in our bio.
On #HolocaustRemembranceDay, we pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Elie Wiesel: a writer, activist, and Holocaust survivor who used his voice to educate the world on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the collective duty we have to confront systems of oppression.
In addition to writing his seminal memoir “Night,” Wiesel was a passionate activist who used his platform to shine a light on injustice, emphasizing the power of storytelling to eradicate hate and promote human dignity. His commitment to public service has inspired the work of many world leaders, including President Obama.
At the Obama Presidential Center, the Foundation will celebrate the work of people like Dr. Wiesel through named spaces on campus that honor those “on whose shoulders we stand” – individuals who have contributed to the advancement of equality and justice in the United States and around the world. The campus will include the Dr. Elie Wiesel Auditorium: a space for people to tell their stories, engage in discourse, and find collaborative solutions to help build a safer and more just society.
To learn more about the Elie Wiesel Auditorium, click the link in our bio.
On #HolocaustRemembranceDay, we pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Elie Wiesel: a writer, activist, and Holocaust survivor who used his voice to educate the world on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the collective duty we have to confront systems of oppression.
In addition to writing his seminal memoir “Night,” Wiesel was a passionate activist who used his platform to shine a light on injustice, emphasizing the power of storytelling to eradicate hate and promote human dignity. His commitment to public service has inspired the work of many world leaders, including President Obama.
At the Obama Presidential Center, the Foundation will celebrate the work of people like Dr. Wiesel through named spaces on campus that honor those “on whose shoulders we stand” – individuals who have contributed to the advancement of equality and justice in the United States and around the world. The campus will include the Dr. Elie Wiesel Auditorium: a space for people to tell their stories, engage in discourse, and find collaborative solutions to help build a safer and more just society.
To learn more about the Elie Wiesel Auditorium, click the link in our bio.
On #HolocaustRemembranceDay, we pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. Elie Wiesel: a writer, activist, and Holocaust survivor who used his voice to educate the world on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the collective duty we have to confront systems of oppression.
In addition to writing his seminal memoir “Night,” Wiesel was a passionate activist who used his platform to shine a light on injustice, emphasizing the power of storytelling to eradicate hate and promote human dignity. His commitment to public service has inspired the work of many world leaders, including President Obama.
At the Obama Presidential Center, the Foundation will celebrate the work of people like Dr. Wiesel through named spaces on campus that honor those “on whose shoulders we stand” – individuals who have contributed to the advancement of equality and justice in the United States and around the world. The campus will include the Dr. Elie Wiesel Auditorium: a space for people to tell their stories, engage in discourse, and find collaborative solutions to help build a safer and more just society.
To learn more about the Elie Wiesel Auditorium, click the link in our bio.
@MichelleObama, @BChesky, and I created the Voyager Scholarship to support the next generation of leaders pursuing careers in public service.
Today we’re excited to welcome our newest class of Voyagers. These students will receive financial support to complete their education, get together for a fall summit, network with leaders, and have the opportunity to travel abroad on a summer voyage.
We can’t wait to work with this impressive group of young people over the next few years. Learn more at the link in my bio.
