Equality stories

The White House illuminated in rainbow colors on June 26, 2015, in support of marriage equality.
  • Community Engagement
  • The Obama Administration
President Obama reflects on a day that shaped the nation and advanced marriage equality

Ten years later, we're revisiting the day love won, a nation grieved, and justice arrived—like a thunderbolt.

A rainbow colored Chicago flag is raised at the Chicago pride parade. A group of people with a range of light to dark skin tones
  • Leaders
  • Take Action
Meet Obama Leaders supporting the global LGBTQIA+ community

Obama Leaders are championing LGBTQIA+ rights, not just in celebration, but in action.

Han Pham, an asian woman with a light skin tone holds a closed lip smile. She is wearing a blue blazer and red lipstick.
  • Leaders
  • USA
Explore How one Obama Leader is creating space for AANHPI women

Han Pham is building connection, visibility, and civic engagement through her community-led work with Badass Asian Women.

A dozen young men with a range of light to dark skin tones touch the Baobab tree, at Cais do Valongo—the largest slave trade site in Rio. This tree stands as a symbol of resistance, at the site where many people were trafficked and enslaved.
  • MBK Alliance
  • Youth
MBKA youth explore leadership and culture in Brazil through global exchange

See how eight young men from Chicago and Newark gain leadership skills and cultural insight during MBKA's exchange program in Brazil.

Brenda, a young Kenyan girl with a dark skin tone, wears a white Moving the Goalposts t-shirt and poses while holding a soccer ball.
  • Youth
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Building girls’ skills and confidence on and off the soccer field in Kenya

Watch how Moving the Goalposts is empowering girls through soccer with support from the Girls Opportunity Alliance.

Erin Barnett helps a young Black girl in a leotard with her dance position as she holds onto the freestanding ballet barre.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Chicago
Meet Erin, founder of Black Girls Dance in Chicago

Discover how dance empowers girls on stage, in leadership, and in life.

Two Black women leaders with a range of light to dark skin tones are dressed in pink and green Jumping Juniors-branded attire holding a jump rope inside a studio.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Chicago
Unlocking girls’ potential through Double Dutch

Discover how Jumping Juniors empowers girls through Double Dutch jump rope with support from the Girls Opportunity Alliance.

A young Black girl wearing a blue Project Exploration shirt raises her hand in a classroom lab setting as her instructor looks on.
  • Stories
  • Community Engagement
Bridging the gap in STEM education for girls in Chicago

See how Project Exploration creates dynamic STEM learning opportunities for girls on the West Side of Chicago.

Two girl-serving leaders smile as they share notes during the Alliance’s Chicago convening. Both have medium dark skin tones and are wearing pink blazers with attendee credentials.
  • Community Engagement
  • Health & Wellbeing
Girls Opportunity Alliance brings together over 80 girl-serving leaders in Chicago

See how the Girls Opportunity Alliance brings together leaders from across Chicago for connection and capacity building.

A group of young Black girls wearing dance leotards pose for a photo against a purple background.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Watch
Girls Opportunity Alliance helps girls in Chicago gain greater access to the arts

See how Praize Productions, Inc. nurtures girls’ talent, self-expression, and life skills through performing arts.

Dechen, a young Nepali girl with a medium skin tone, draws stars on paper with a yellow case of colored pencils. She is wearing a purple dress, and her chin-length black hair is held with a purple clip.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Dechen’s story

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance helps educate and empower the next generation of Nepali girls.

A young girl, Mosa, sits at a classroom desk with a laptop branded with “Beyond the Classroom Initiative” and two girls sitting behind her. She wears a gray blouse and has her braided hair tied up with a purple hair-tie
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Mosa’s story

Watch how the Girls Opportunity Alliance helps close the gender gap in STEM through digital literacy training for girls.

Uyen, a young Vietnamese girl with a medium skin tone, poses with a pink bicycle. She is wearing a school uniform with a white collared shirt, navy skirt and pink backpack. Mountains and flower fields are pictured in the background.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Uyen’s story

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance helps address transportation barriers and safety for girls in Vietnam.

Nimon, a young Kenyan woman, sits at a table with a notebook and pen in hand. She is wearing a black blazer and blouse, with shelves of books pictured behind her.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Nimon’s story

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance helps adolescent girls in Kenya access high-quality education and holistic support.

Judith Godfrey, a young Tanzanian woman with a dark skin tone, poses in a classroom with her arms crossed. She wears a black dress with blue flowers and has short hair.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Judith’s story

Watch how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports education access for adolescent girls in Tanzania.

A group of people with a range of light to dark skin tones pose in front of a banner that reads, “Bring Change Home.”
  • Stories
  • Building the Center
2024 year in review
Joséphine Goube, a tall woman with a light skin tone and dark hair, smiles as she faces an audience. She is wearing a tan blazer and white top. Behind her is a sign that reads, “Sistech.”
  • Scholars
  • Changemakers
How one Obama Scholar promotes pluralism through her work with refugee women

Hear from Joséphine Goube on how her nonprofit, Sistech, helps foster connections between refugee women and professionals, breaking stereotypes and building mutual understanding

Filip Koprčina, a man with a light skin tone and dark brown hair, poses near a solar panel grid. He is smiling and wearing a red windbreaker jacket.
  • Leaders
  • Sustainability
Obama Leader on a mission to make clean energy accessible in Croatia

Learn how Filip Koprčina is using blockchain to democratize renewable energy through co-ownership of solar and wind farms.

A Black woman wearing a blue sweatshirt and floral leggings holds a yoga pose. She is encircled by a group of adolescent Black girls wearing matching maroon shirts and holding the same pose. They are a range of light to dark skin tones.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Youth
Girls Opportunity Alliance provides more than $1 million in support on International Day of the Girl

Learn how the Alliance is joining forces with 26 organizations serving adolescent girls in Chicago and around the world

A group of students with medium-light to medium-dark skin tones, wearing khaki pants and a variety of hair styles, stand in front of a white building that reads “Mielle” and a graphic of a woman with long black hair on the wall.
  • Programs
  • The Arts
The 2023-2024 Futures Series Lineup

The Obama Foundation Futures Series exposes high school students to career pathways through intimate conversations with accomplished leaders.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is seated while holding a microphone and sporting long box braids. She is seated in front of signage that says “Futures Series” with the Obama Foundation logo.
  • Programs
  • The Arts
The 2022-2023 Futures Series Lineup

The Obama Foundation Futures Series exposes high school students to career pathways through intimate conversations with accomplished leaders.

Indigenous girls of the Sacred Valley Project work on school activities together at a long table covered in books, worksheets, colorful markers, and other school supplies.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Meet the Girls of Sacred Valley Project

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports secondary education for girls in rural Peru.

Betty, a young woman with a dark skin tone, turns around and poses for the photo while walking down a dirt path. She is wearing a striped yellow shirt, a black backpack, and has dyed pink hair.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Betty’s story

See how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports STEM education for Kenyan girls with disabilities.

Brenda, a young Tanzanian girl with a dark skin tone, raises her hand among her classmates. The group is outside and Brenda wears a school uniform with a white collared shirt, striped tie, and sweater. They are all a range of medium to dark skin tones.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Brenda’s story

Learn how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports community-driven solutions that advance equality and climate justice in Tanzania.

Addison, a young Black girl with a light skin tone, films with her camera along Lake Michigan in Chicago. She is wearing a black t-shirt, hoop earrings, and her hair is curly.
  • Watch
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
Addison’s story

Watch how the Girls Opportunity Alliance supports girls through mentorship programs in Chicago.

A group of three smiling girls with a range of light to medium skin tones run together on an outdoor court.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Chicago
Girls Opportunity Alliance helps girls' sports and leadership program expand to Chicago’s South Side

See how Girls in the Game is empowering girls through sports programming to develop their health, leadership, and life skills.

Elpida Kokkota, a woman with a light skin tone, holds a closed lip smile. She has long black hair and is wearing red lipstick, bracelets on both arms, a white shirt, and floral skirt.
  • Leaders
  • Changemakers
Obama Leaders join forces across continents to create global opportunities for women

More than 140,000 women across 155 countries have educational and entrepreneurial opportunities, thanks to the 2023 Obama Leaders.

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  • MBK Alliance
  • Youth
MBK Omaha, the journey to impact

MBK Omaha has become a Model Community for showing a population-level impact on Milestone 6, all youth remain safe from violent crimes by demonstrating a 30 percent decrease in homicides from 2011 to 2022.

A group of Black women and girls pose with a van wrapped with M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment branding and images of adolescent Black girls. The group is holding a copy of Governor Prizker’s state proclamation recognizing Girls Health Matters Day.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Chicago
How we're making girls' health a priority in Chicago

The Girls Opportunity Alliance supports M.E.A.N. Girls Empowerment's new Resource Van and the state of Illinois declares first Girls Health Matters Day.

A professional headshot of Ashlee Davis. She is standing in front of a glass window with a city skyline behind her. Ashlee has a medium deep complexion and shortly cropped black hair. She is wearing a blue plaid suit and a blue tie. She is smiling in the image.
  • Alumni
  • Changemakers
Ashlee Davis - Obama alum leading with PRIDE

Get to know several LGBTQIA+ Obama alumni building power in their communities

A image of Brian Bond standing in the Oval Office with President Obama, Tina Tchen, and Valerie Jarrett. Brian has an olive complexion and closely cropped dark hair, and glasses. He is wearing a dark colored suit, while facing President Obama. In his hands is a green memo. President Obama has a medium deep complexion and black and gray hair. He is wearing a dark colored suit and facing Brian Bond with his hands in his pocket. Tina Tchen has a medium olive complexion and dark hair cut to her shoulders. She is smiling at President Obama and Brian Bond. She is wearing a black dress with a plaid overcoat. Valerie Jarrett has a light deep complexion, short brown hair, and glasses. She is smiling in the direction of President Obama and Brian Bond with her arms crossed against her chest. She is wearing a green jacket and a light color skirt.
  • Alumni
  • Changemakers
Brian Bond - Obama alum leading with PRIDE

Get to know several LGBTQIA+ Obama alumni building power in their communities

Headshot of Dylan Orr. Dylan has an olive complexion with dark wavy hair. He is wearing a dark gray suit with a striped tie. In the image he is standing with his arms crossed on his chest. He has a wedding ring on his left finger.
  • Alumni
  • Changemakers
Dylan Orr - Obama alum leading with PRIDE

Get to know several LGBTQIA+ Obama alumni building power in their communities

A candid shot of Pamela Karlan. Pamela is standing outside in front of a large crowd of people. Pamela has pale skin and brown hair cut to her shoulders. She is wearing round glasses, a pearl necklace, and a dark blue blazer and shirt. She is smiling into the camera.
  • Alumni
  • Changemakers
Pamela Karlan - Obama alum leading with PRIDE

Get to know several LGBTQIA+ Obama alumni building power in their communities

Watch Meeting—Dec. 31st 1862—Waiting for the Hour by William Tolman Carlton (1863)
  • Watch
  • The Arts
Commemorating Juneteenth

Take a look at how President Obama honored this chapter of American history.

A black-and-white headshot of a woman with long dark wavy hair, parted to the side. She wears a floral blouse and dark suit jacket. There are three graphic circles behind her: one teal, one light green and one white..
  • Defending Democracy
  • Education
Meet the Obama Leader making history for war victims in the Balkans

Hear directly from Adrijana Hanušić Bećirović as she talks about human rights and what the Obama Leadership program has meant to her.

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  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Michelle Obama
Girls Opportunity Alliance announces $500,000 commitment to empower girls in Chicago

Find out how 14 organizations will expand their programing and impact

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