The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 20, 2015

Remarks by the First Lady at Joining Forces Event for the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness -- New Orleans, Louisiana

Gallier Hall
New Orleans, Louisiana

11:28 A.M. CDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  You all rest yourselves.  You’ve been working hard.  You deserve a seat. (Laughter.)

Of course, I want to start by thanking Dylan for his service, for his sacrifice, for his wonderful introduction.  I am so proud of him.  I’m proud of his family.  And I know he’s got a lot of good work to do ahead. 

I also want to thank my dear friend, Mayor Landrieu, and Cheryl, my girl -- (laughter) -- for all the great work.  I’m so proud of this city.  I’m so proud of the work that you’ve done.  I’m proud to call you both friends, and I’m honored to be here to be able to lift up the great work that you all are doing. 

I also want to recognize our Executive Director at the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Matthew Doherty, who is here -- absolutely.  Great work.  (Applause.)  As well as all of the mayors and local leaders from across the country who have joined us here today and are working hard to achieve this goal in their communities, as well.

And finally, I want to pass along some warm wishes from my friend and partner in Joining Forces, Jill Biden.  Jill is feeling a little bit under the weather and couldn’t make it today, but she wanted me to be here to say thank you.  Thank you to you all for everything you’re doing to give back to those who have done so much for this country.  She’s been a phenomenal partner.  She is my girl.  And I know that if she could be here she would. 

That message of thanks is a message that Jill and I are delivering all month long as we celebrate the fourth anniversary of Joining Forces.  And over the past four years, because of folks like all of you, we have come so far on so many issues -- issues like employment, education, health care, particularly mental health. 

Businesses have hired or trained hundreds of thousands of veterans and military spouses.  Teaching colleges are training teachers to support the unique needs of military-connected students in their classrooms.  Associations of doctors and nurses, medical schools and others are training health care providers to better treat issues like post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries. 

And over the past year, we have been ramping up our efforts on another issue, an issue that cuts straight to the core of what it means to support those who serve our country, and that is the issue of veteran homelessness. 

Now, like many of you, I met a number of veterans who have experienced homelessness in recent years, and I have to tell you that their stories break my heart.  There’s a woman from Pennsylvania whose first day of basic training was on 9/11.  Three weeks into her first deployment, one of her best friends was killed.  A little while later, her base was attacked.  So when she came home, she couldn’t shake those images –- the carnage, the explosions, the gunshots -– so she started self-medicating with drugs.  Her life spiraled out of control.  She ended up living out of her car. 

Then there’s the veteran in Minnesota who served during the Vietnam War.  The first thing he did when he arrived back to the U.S. was to get down on his hands and knees and kiss the ground.  That’s how much he appreciated being back in the country he loved.  But then he struggled to transition back to civilian life.  He started drinking, got a divorce and was separated from his baby daughter.  And for almost 30 years –- three decades –- he was homeless, living on the streets, with folks throwing change at his feet.  

Now, these stories are tragic, and believe me, they are infuriating.  But unfortunately, they are not unusual and they are not new.  As the decades have gone by, as we’ve cycled through administrations of both parties, generations of veterans have fallen through the cracks.  And as a country, we’ve seemed to resign ourselves to a reluctant acceptance of this reality.  We feel badly about it.  We know it is not right. But we’ve almost come to believe that this problem is just too big, too entrenched to ever solve. 

Now, I want to be very clear that the vast majority of veterans who return home, they come home in good health and good spirits.  They go on to build strong families and find good jobs.  And they keep serving this nation in their communities and their workplaces, in their congregations.  I’ve seen it.  But even one homeless veteran is an outrage.  And when we have tens of thousands of veterans who don’t have somewhere to go when it rains –- that is a stain on our nation.

And I think that we can all agree that when our veterans risk their lives for this country and come home kissing the ground, none of them should ever have to sleep on it.  (Applause.)  

So that’s why, as President, my husband has vowed not to simply manage this problem, but to end it.  That’s why he’s made this issue a government-wide priority.  He’s cut through red tape for our veterans.  He’s directed record funding and resources to get them into housing.  And overall, since 2010, we’ve housed nearly 230,000 veterans and their families.  (Applause.)  We’ve done this through our targeted housing vouchers and the VA homelessness programs.

This is historic progress.  And we know that none of it would be possible without leaders like all of you here in New Orleans.  And all across the country, people are working on this issue.

Just take the example of what’s happened through the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness.  This is a group of leaders who came together, as the Mayor said, to -- last June to commit to end homelessness in their communities, and to do it by the end of 2015.  We started with 85 state and local leaders from all across the country, and today, that number has grown to 570 mayors, governors, and local officials.  (Applause.)  So in less than a year, it’s grown more than six times larger.  See, that’s the beauty of Joining Forces -- you ask people to do something, they do it.

And we are seeing incredible progress all across this country.  Los Angeles housed more than 5,000 veterans last year alone.  New York has cut the number of homeless veterans by more than half.  Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Houston are close to ending this problem in their communities -- they’re close.

All of this is happening because leaders across this country are getting creative.  Mayor Ed Murray of Seattle and Mayor Rusty Bailey of Riverside, California have supplemented federal funds with their own city funds to provide rental subsidies and rapid rehousing services.  Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy invested nearly $3 million for homeless veterans, plus even more for veterans’ security deposits.

Well, and then you all know the story that’s going on right here in New Orleans.  Mayor Landrieu decided to make this issue a city-wide priority, and as he discussed earlier, he brought together government, nonprofits, landlords, so many others, including many of you here today.  And I want to pay particular attention to how you all recruited active duty troops and local veterans -– including some from your terrific VFW who are here with us today –- to reach out to homeless vets and provide that sense of camaraderie and trust. 

And with the whole city behind this effort, in January, you knocked that goal right out of the park and became the first major city in the country to end homelessness among our veterans -- the first to get it done.  (Applause.)   

And I am so proud.  I’m so proud because this isn’t just an extraordinary achievement for the city, this is a call to action to our entire country.  You all have proven that even a city as big as New Orleans, veterans’ homelessness is not a reality that we have to accept.  It is not an impossible problem that’s too big to solve.  Just the opposite –- you’ve shown us that when leaders make this problem a priority and bring the right folks to the table, we can find a solution. 

And now, we want cities across the country to follow your lead and solve this problem in their communities.  And today, I’m thrilled to announce three new initiatives to help make that possible. 

Secretary Castro at the Department of Housing and Urban Development is making the next batch of veteran housing vouchers available starting today, which is months earlier than usual.  (Applause.)  So there are a group here who understands how important that is.  So we’re making a total of about $64 million available right now because we want to do everything we can to help cities across the country reach this goal by the end of the year. 

Second -- last week, I kicked off the first of our new monthly technical assistance calls for mayors and your staffs.  These calls are being led by HUD, the VA, and the Interagency Council on Homelessness.  And these calls are designed to give you all a chance to ask questions, to share best practices, and to get connected to the resources that you need.  And again, these calls will be every month.  

Third and finally -- I couldn’t be more excited about this commitment –- because in the coming weeks, Blackstone, which is one of the world’s largest private equity firms, and its portfolio of companies includes Hilton, Motel 6, La Quinta Inns and Suites -- they are going to be working with local leaders in 25 cities across the country to help create “Welcome Home Kits” for our veterans when they transition into new housing.  These kits will include items like furniture, appliances, and other supplies.  And just think about how important these things can be for a veteran.  Getting the key to an apartment, well, that’s a huge step, but it’s a whole other thing to walk in and have dishes in the cupboard, towels in the bathroom, a bed to sleep on. 

So this is wonderful commitment.  And I want to just take a moment to tell you how it happened, because this is a perfect example of what Joining Forces is all about. 

Two years ago, I went to the Business Roundtable and spoke to dozens of CEOs of our nation’s largest companies about Joining Forces.  And Steve Schwarzman was there, and he’s the CEO of The Blackstone Group.  Now, Steve walked out of that meeting with one question in his mind:  “What can I do to help?”  That’s all he was thinking about.  So he started with an enormous employment commitment.  He decided that Blackstone would hire 50,000 veterans within its family of companies. 

But Steve and his team wanted to do more.  And when they heard about the homelessness efforts, they realized that Blackstone and these hotel chains were perfectly positioned to contribute these Welcome Home Kits.  They have properties in almost all of our major cities.  Their hotels have huge inventories of furniture and appliances so it just made sense to provide these kinds of essentials to our vets.  So they’re doing what they do best, and they’re doing it on behalf of our extraordinary troops, veterans, and their families. 

And today, I want to challenge folks all across the country to follow their lead, as well.  So I’m asking the mayors out there -- can you squeeze a few more dollars from your budgets for local homelessness programs?  Can you work with your local VA to fill any gaps in your own efforts?  Can you ask property owners and landlords to rent to these veterans looking for a place to call home?

To the business owners out there -- does your company have supplies you could donate to our veterans?  Could you help pay for their security deposits, their utility bills?  And to folks in communities all across the country –- can you volunteer to walk the streets like these veterans did and reach out to homeless folks and help them in your community?  Because it’s going to take all of us doing what we each do best to reach -– and to sustain –- this goal.

And that last little point -– sustaining this effort -– is crucial.  Because, as the Mayor said, ending veteran homelessness doesn’t mean that we’ll never see another veteran on the streets.  That an unfortunate reality.  But it means that when someone does experience a housing crisis, we will be prepared to get them back into a home right away –- and for good. 

In fact, as the Mayor said, right here in your city, in three months since you’ve announced that you’ve reached the goal, you’ve already housed another 42 homeless veterans.  And that is not a sign that we somehow failed those veterans.  It’s a sign that the system that you all have set up is working. 

And so if we can be there to lift our veterans up and help them back on their feet, we can help prepare them to keep giving back to this country they love.  Because time and again, that’s what we’ve seen from our veterans.  These are folks who are born to serve, no matter how long ago they took off that uniform.  They’re just looking for their next mission. 

And that brings me back to those two veterans I told you about at the beginning of my talk, the young women who served in Afghanistan and the veteran from Vietnam who was on the streets for almost 30 years. 

Well, flash forward to today.  Once she got back on her feet, that young woman, Jennifer Madden, became a nurse, a homeowner, and the mother of two beautiful children.  And she spends her free time volunteering for a nonprofit that serves veterans with mental health challenges.  And the -- yes, please, for Jennifer.  (Applause.) 

And that man who served during Vietnam, Doran Hocker.  He got connected with a nonprofit that got him into housing and helped get him back on his feet.  He reunited with his daughter.  And now he’s working for the same nonprofit, helping other veterans get back on their feet, as well.  (Applause.) 

So I share their stories because I want the nation to remember that these are the kind of folks that we’re helping -- folks who go on to build healthy families.  Folks who have become leaders in their communities and continue to serve the country they love. 

So that’s why we need to keep pushing on this issue.  That’s why we’ve got to keep on digging.  We’ve got to pour everything we have into making sure they have a place to call home.  Because, as my husband has said, every veteran who’s served America deserves a home in America.  (Applause.) 

So I’m going to end by thanking you again.  Thank you all for being such extraordinary leaders.  For setting the bar high.  For the work that you are doing and will continue to do.  For the passion and dedication and leadership that you have shown to achieve this goal.  This is no small task -- that’s why I decided to show up, hang out.  (Laughter.)  It is now small task, what you have done.  And I know that we will continue to work together on this road in the years and years and years ahead. 

So congratulations.  Congratulations, Mayor.  God bless you all.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 

END
11:48 A.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 20, 2015

FACT SHEET: Preventing and Ending Veteran Homelessness

The President has pledged not just to address veteran homelessness, but to end it. The Administration has made historic investments, using proven strategies in partnership between HUD and VA, to achieve this goal.  We’ve helped veterans and their families access rapid rehousing when falling into homelessness, and have aided chronically homeless veterans in stabilizing their lives through permanent supportive housing, which – in addition to serving those veterans – generates public sector savings exceeding the cost of the intervention.

As a result, we’ve made strong progress.  Since 2010, nearly 230,000 veterans and their family members have been supported by HUD’s targeted housing vouchers and VA homelessness programs designed to permanently house, rapidly rehouse, or prevent families from falling into homelessness. According to the most recent nationwide data, from 2010 to January 2014 the total number of homeless veterans nationwide declined 33 percent, and the number of unsheltered veterans – those sleeping on the street or outside at night – declined 44 percent.  While more work remains, this overall progress shows that veteran homelessness is not an intractable problem, it is a challenge that can be solved over time if we act decisively and have a shared commitment from the Federal government, state and local governments, private businesses, philanthropies, and communities.

Ending veteran homelessness does not mean that we can prevent every veteran from facing a housing crisis in the future.  But it does mean that when and if a housing crisis does occur, we can have systems in place to identify and quickly house all of our veterans.

Local Progress

Reaching the goal of ending veteran homelessness will require ramped up engagement from partners across the country and at the state and local level, in collaboration with the federal government. In June 2014, as part of Joining Forces, the First Lady helped to launch the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness to help advance this work.  As part of the Challenge, 570 mayors, governors, and other local officials have committed to ending veteran homelessness in their communities by the end of this year – an unprecedented expression of the local commitment that is required to end veteran homelessness. Last week, the First Lady held a call with mayors who are committed to the challenge, discussing specific actions they can take to end veteran homelessness in their communities.

In December 2014, New Orleans became the first major city to meet the challenge and end veteran homelessness, and state and local communities around the country are working to this goal. Today, to help other cities learn from the progress underway, First Lady Michelle Obama is taking part in a forum for mayors and local leaders in New Orleans, as part of the Joining Forces initiative’s continued work to advance the Mayors Challenge.  At the forum, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, federal officials, and community partners will discuss the strategies New Orleans used to effectively end homelessness among veterans a year ahead of the national goal.

New Orleans is not alone in making dramatic progress on ending veteran homelessness – other communities, such as Houston, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City, have reached major milestones, and continue to strive toward the goal of ending homelessness among veterans by the end of 2015. Achieving this goal means that veterans are not sleeping on our streets, all veterans in shelter or transitional housing are connected to permanent housing, and communities have systems in place to prevent and end future homelessness among veterans quickly and efficiently, ensuring that it is a rare, brief, and non-recurring experience.

Administration Efforts

To work with communities in achieving this goal, the Administration has invested significant new resources and focus. Almost 70,000 HUD-VASH housing vouchers have been provided to over 400 Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) nationwide to date, and another 10,000 vouchers will be awarded in fiscal year 2015.  The President’s FY 2016 budget includes a total of $1.4 billion for VA programs that prevent or end homelessness among veterans, including $300 million for Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) and $374 million for case management and other supportive services to support nearly 95,000 veterans in the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program. Federal agencies are also working together to speed progress in local communities, providing guidance and support to leaders who have signed on to the Mayors Challenge, and encouraging all communities to conduct point-in-time counts of unsheltered people in January 2016, to obtain an accurate assessment of the number of homeless individuals at the end of 2015. 

These federal efforts are all aimed at supporting local communities to implement the strategies that are proving effective in promoting rapid access to permanent housing for all veterans.

Essential strategies at the community level include:

  • Creating coordinated assessment and entry systems to ensure that there is no wrong door for veterans seeking help and to create more efficient pathways out of homelessness and into permanent housing;
  • Conducting coordinated outreach and engagement efforts to proactively seek out veterans in need of assistance, sharing information across outreach teams and sites, and collaborating across systems, including law enforcement, prisons and jails, hospitals, libraries, and job centers;
  • Identifying all veterans experiencing homelessness within the community by name and creating a shared list of veterans experiencing homelessness to ensure that no veteran and his or her family falls through the cracks and that all are linked to the most appropriate housing and services options;
  • Setting concrete and ambitious monthly or quarterly goals for helping veterans and their families get back into housing as a strategy for pushing local systems to perform with maximum efficiency and achieve better outcomes;
  • Implementing Housing First practices and approaches across every part of the homelessness services and housing systems, removing barriers to help veterans and their families obtain permanent housing as quickly as possible, without unnecessary prerequisites; and
  • Increasing connections to employment by collaborating with Workforce Investment Boards, homelessness services and housing organization, VA Medical Centers, and employers, recognizing that employment and income are critical to the ability of people to obtain and sustain housing stability and avoid future crises.

These strategies, essential for ending veteran homelessness, will also help communities to work toward ending homelessness for every American child, youth, adult, and family. For more details regarding Federal programs and the most effective strategies for ending veteran homelessness, see USICH’s webpage and VA’s webpage. For more details about the Mayors Challenge, and the list of elected officials who have signed on, visit HUD’s webpage.

Earlier this year, Administration officials fanned out across the country to participate in the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) counts.  HUD requires its partner communities to conduct at least a biannual PIT count of homeless persons who are unsheltered.  For this year’s PIT count, Secretaries Castro, McDonald, and Perez, along with White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, OMB Director Shaun Donovan, and other Senior Administration Officials participated alongside volunteers to help shed light on the efforts underway and the additional commitments needed to reach the goal of ending veteran homelessness.

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 17, 2015

Remarks by the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden Before Joining Forces Roundtable -- Silver Spring, Maryland

Silver Spring Vets Center
Silver Spring, Maryland

1:22 P.M. EDT

DR. BIDEN:  Thank you for having us here today.  And we want to -- I know I speak for Michelle, too, when we say thank you from our husbands, and thank you for all that you’re doing.

So one of the most rewarding parts of being Second Lady for me has been traveling around the country and visiting our military families, and Michelle and I have been doing this now for six years.  And we just had a tour of the facility with Wayne and saw all the wonderful things that you have here and all the things that are available.

And so the reason we’re here today is to just -- to listen to you, to listen to your experiences and to learn from you.  So thank you again for having us.

MRS. OBAMA:  And also we think this -- for me -- this is a big, old light right here.  (Laughter.)  But it’s really reflective of what we hope our visit can do, which is to shine a light on vet centers, the work that’s happening, the support that’s out there.  Because, as we talked to the counselor, there are a lot of veterans who don’t know that these resources exist, and that’s the thing that we want to change.

Every vet, every family member should know that there are places like this that feel like home, with people who are professional, that are trained, who know how to deal with any issue that you all encounter.  So this time here today is really about the others who don’t have access or don’t know that these resources exist.

So we’re just grateful to you all.  And we’re also extremely proud of you guys.  And I know you don’t hear that enough, because we can’t say it enough as a nation.  You all have sacrificed for this country time and again.  And Jill and I, through Joining Forces and our husbands, we’ve made the issue of supporting our veterans, our troops and their families the top of our priority list.  And the goal is to make sure that this doesn’t stop at this administration, but -- we set a high bar, but we hope that every other administration will surpass that bar when it comes to caring for you all forever.

So we can’t say it enough -- we’re very proud of Wayne.  He’s a passionate representative of this facility, as well as his staff.  So what better place to bring the media than right here. 

So thanks for taking the time.  And Jill and I are really excited to hear about your experiences, and feel free to share with us anything more that needs to happen.  Because we’ve got all the bigwigs here, so if there are things that we can improve upon, things that we need to know, we’re -- Jill and I are also interested in hearing that, as well. 

END  
1:26 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 17, 2015

FACT SHEET: VA Vet Centers and Administration Progress on Mental Health

Vet Centers

Vet Centers are community-based counseling centers that provide a wide range of social and psychological services including professional readjustment counseling to Veterans and active duty Servicemembers (including members of the National Guard and Reserve components) and their families.

A core value of the Vet Center program is to promote access to care by helping Veterans, Servicemembers, and their families overcome barriers that impede them from using those services. For example, all Vet Centers maintain regularly scheduled non-traditional hours, such as evening and weekends, to ensure Veterans and Servicemembers are able to access these services. Also, Vet Centers are able to create Veteran-to-Veteran connections, as over 72% of Vet Center staff are Veterans and a majority of those individuals have served in combat zones.

There are 300 Vet Centers located in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

In addition, Readjustment Counseling Services maintains a fleet of 80 Mobile Vet Centers that are designed to extend the reach of Vet Center services through focused outreach, direct service provision, and referral to communities that do not meet the requirements for a “brick and mortar” Vet Center, but where there are Veterans, Servicemembers, and their families in need of services. In many instances these communities are distant from existing services and are considered rural or highly rural.

Additional Information

  • All services are available without time limitation and at no cost.
  • To use Vet Center services, Veterans or Servicemembers:
  • Do not need to be enrolled with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Medical Centers;
  • Do not need a disability rating or service connection for injuries from either the VA or the Department of Defense, and;
  • Can access Vet Center services regardless of discharge character.
  • No information will be released to any person or agency without the written consent from the Veteran or Servicemember, except in circumstances averting a crisis.
  • www.vetcenter.va.gov

BUILDING ON PROGRESS

Mental health issues among our veterans, Servicemembers, and their families cannot be ignored, and we all have an obligation to do better to ensure that they receive the care that they need and deserve. The Administration continues to take action to improve the mental health of Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families. Most recently, the VA and DoD took two significant steps to help Servicemembers as they transition from active duty.

  • To ensure that Servicemembers receiving mental health care are connected to mental health professionals as they transition to the VA or a community provider, on April 1, 2015 the DoD changed its inTransition program so that all Servicemembers who have seen a behavioral health provider within one year of separation from Active Duty are automatically enrolled in the program and contacted by an inTransition coach. inTransition is a confidential coaching program that answers questions about treatment options, provides information about community resources, and secures an appointment with a behavioral health provider for Servicemembers transitioning between providers or systems. It used to be the case that a Service member had to proactively opt in to receive this transition assistance.
  • In February, the VA issued a revised policy to ensure that Servicemembers transitioning to the VA are able to maintain access to mental health medication prescribed by DoD providers, regardless of whether the medication is on the VA formulary.

The completion of these actions, which the President first announced as part of the package of 19 executive actions to improve the mental health of Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families in August 2014, build on the Administration’s ongoing work over the past six years.

  • The 2016 Budget provides over $7 billion to continue VA’s focus on expanding and transforming mental health services for veterans to ensure accessible and patient-centered care, including treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, ensuring timely access to mental healthcare, and treatment for Military Sexual Trauma. 
  • In response to the President’s 2012 Executive Order on Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families’ mental health, VA has increased its mental health staffing, expanded the capacity of the Veterans Crisis Line, and enhanced its partnerships with community mental health providers. Additionally, DoD is reviewing its mental health outreach programs to prioritize those with the greatest impact, DoD and VA worked to increase suicide prevention awareness, and DoD, VA and the National Institutes of Health jointly developed the National Research Action Plan on military and veteran’s mental health to better coordinate federal research efforts.
  • In February 2015, the President signed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for America Veterans (SAV) Act in order to take additional steps to help with veterans’ mental health and suicide prevention, including:
    • Requiring annual third-party evaluations of VA’s mental health care and suicide prevention programs, and any associated recommendations;
    • Creating a centralized website with resources and information for veterans about the range of mental health services available from the VA;
    • Conducting a three-year pilot program for educational loan repayment to help recruit and retain VA psychiatrists;
    • Extending the current five-year period of post-discharge eligibility for VA medical care by an additional year for those veterans discharged in 2009 and 2010.

Expanding Opportunity for Native Youth

Ken Meyer
Ken Meyer
April 16, 2015
09:42 PM EST

Last week, folks from a broad range of diverse backgrounds came together at the White House to discuss a common goal: improving the lives of Native youth. Over a hundred nonprofit and philanthropic leaders, tribal leaders, Native youth, and members of the President’s Cabinet joined the dialogue. We heard devastating stories and statistics from young people and research experts about the high rates of unemployment, domestic violence, and homelessness in many Native communities.

But, we also heard stories of hope. Nonprofit, philanthropic, federal agency, and tribal leaders discussed the work they are doing to create opportunities for Native young people to use their intellect and perseverance to achieve great things. Native youth shared stories about strengthening their communities through public service and community engagement. Members of the President’s Cabinet described the importance of new Federal investments in education, health, and economic development in Indian Country.

The First Lady provided remarks and talked about her visit to the Standing Rock Sioux Nation last June. She described her visit with the President to Cannon Ball, North Dakota -- part of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation -- and the pride, courage, determination, and maturity she witnessed there. And, with those ideals in mind, she noted both the urgency and value of investing in Native youth.

Related Topics: Civil Rights, Alaska, California, North Dakota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin

@JoiningForces is Answering Your Questions to Celebrate Its 4th Anniversary

Posted by Ken Meyer on April 16, 2015 at 06:29 PM EST

The First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden launched Joining Forces in April 2011 to call on Americans across the country to rally around service members, veterans, and their families.

This month, Joining Forces is celebrating its fourth anniversary! We're talking about how we can inspire, educate, and spark action from all sectors of society to ensure service members, veterans, and their families have the tools they need to succeed throughout their lives.

Want to join the conversation? We'll be focusing on specific themes throughout the month. Around each theme, the Joining Forces team will be hosting a Twitter chat to answer your questions on mental health, homelessness, employment, and education -- and hear from you.

Ask your questions and join the conversation now using the hashtags below, and we'll answer from @JoiningForces on the day of the chat!

See more about Veterans  

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 16, 2015

White House Announces Deesha Dyer as Social Secretary

The White House today announced that Deesha Dyer has been promoted to Special Assistant to the President and Social Secretary.   She currently serves as Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary. Deesha was selected from among an abundance of well-qualified candidates for her passion and dedication to opening the doors of the White House, most notably engaging students from communities across the country.  Prior to this role, Dyer worked as Deputy Director and Hotel Program Director in the White House Office of Scheduling and Advance, the same office where she originally came to the White House as an intern in 2009. 

“Deesha shares our commitment to a White House that reflects America’s history, highlights our culture, and celebrates all Americans. Michelle and I look forward to working with her in this new role as we welcome visitors from across the country and around the world to the People’s House,” the President said.

“I am incredibly honored to continue serving the President and First Lady in my new role as White House Social Secretary,” said Deesha Dyer.  “I am constantly inspired by the openness, diversity, and traditions of this Administration and I look forward to leading the talented Social Office team as we further the goals and priorities of the President and First Lady throughout these last two exciting years in office.”

"From the day Deesha started in the Social Office nearly two years ago, she impressed me with her passion, creativity, public-mindedness and relentless competence,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.  “Since then, whether helping flawlessly execute state dinners, or going the extra mile to open the White House to people who never dreamed they would walk through these doors, Deesha has worked tirelessly to truly make the White House the "People's House."  I am thrilled that she has agreed to continue her service as our Social Secretary."

Biography of Deesha Dyer

Deesha Dyer was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in both Philadelphia and Hershey, where she attended the Milton Hershey School. Dyer currently serves as Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary of the White House, a role which she has held for nearly 2 years. She started at the White House in 2009, at the age of 31, as an intern in the Office of Scheduling and Advance.  She was hired full-time in 2010 as Associate Director for Scheduling Correspondence and was promoted to Deputy Director and Hotel Program Director.  In her role, Deesha traveled with the President and First Lady working on press, lodging and site logistics. In 2013, she was promoted into her current position as Deputy Director and Deputy Social Secretary.

Before starting her career in government, Dyer concurrently held several private sector positions.  She was an assistant at Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust from 2001 to 2010 where she served on the PREIT Charitable Board.  From 2003 to 2010, Dyer was a freelance journalist covering East Coast hip-hop culture for several media outlets, including The Philadelphia Citypaper.  Dyer has also maintained a long-standing commitment to community advocacy in several roles, including her role working with young adults at the Youth Health Empowerment Project, as creator of a hip-hop AIDS program based in Philadelphia, as a CARE advocacy volunteer and as a board member at Action AIDS.

In addition to her role at the White House, Deesha currently volunteers with the homeless community in Washington, DC, and serves as a mentor for a global empowerment program for young girls in Philadelphia. She also serves as a mentor in the First Lady’s mentee program.  At the age of 29, Dyer returned to college to obtain her associates degree in Women’s Studies from the Community College of Philadelphia.

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
April 15, 2015

Remarks by the First Lady at Grammys On The Hill Awards' Tribute to Alicia Keys

The Hamilton
Washington, D.C.

8:34 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all so much.  (Applause.)  Well, good evening.  You all rest yourselves.  You’ve got a long night.  (Laughter.) 

Let me start by thanking Neil.  He has been such a terrific friend and partner.  I’m just grateful for all that he does for music, for young people.  He is terrific.  And I want to thank you all for having me here tonight for the annual Grammys on the Hill Awards.  (Applause.)  I am -- yes!  (Applause.) 

I am here tonight because I am so proud and so honored to pay tribute to a woman whose songs light up my iPod -- (laughter) -- no, no, they keep me going through some long rides and some long trips -- and a woman whose service to others is an inspiration to me and to millions of people across the globe.  My friend, my girl, Alicia Keys.  (Applause.) 

Now, over the years, I have rocked out to “Girl on Fire.”  I have tried -– and failed -– to sing along to “Fallin’.”  (Laughter.)  I have truly cried my eyes out at “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete,” just a beautiful, beautiful film.  I’ve loved every minute of Alicia on the big screen, and I’ve watched this woman sell tens of millions of albums and win countless awards.

But when I first finally got to meet this woman in person, face to face, what struck me most was her seriousness not just about her own artistic career, but about her broader mission on this Earth.  After just a few minutes with Alicia, I realized that she doesn’t just see herself as an artist or a celebrity, but as an individual with a relationship -– and a responsibility –- to the world. 

See, Alicia goes through life with her eyes wide open to the struggles and injustices, the heartbreaking inequalities that folks here in America and across the globe are facing every single day.  And this is where Alicia truly finds her purpose.  This is how she truly measures her success -- not by the awards she’s gotten or the money she’s made, but by the lives she’s saved, and the people she’s inspired, and the communities she has transformed.  In fact, in an interview, Alicia said that she views celebrity as a kind of currency.  And she said -- these are her words -- “Currency, like celebrity, should be used wisely and purposefully.” 

So Alicia doesn’t use her fame just to further her fame; to get more magazine covers or Twitter followers.  No, she uses her fame to further the cause of folks who are struggling -- families in wrenching poverty, women desperate to keep their babies safe from HIV, young girls yearning to make their voices heard. 

And let me vey clear:  Alicia doesn’t do the “just attend a fancy gala once a year” kind of work, or the “just write a check and be done with it” kind of work.  No, Alicia does the real, on-the-ground kind of work.  She goes directly to the places where folks are in need and she offers them her heart, her network, and the full power of her voice.  And then she comes back and convinces others to join her and offer their voices and their resources. 

So Alicia, she’s not just a giver herself.  She’s a force-multiplier, inspiring others to give more.  And I imagine that when Alicia asks you to pitch in, it’s kind of hard to say no.  Because she has this wrap-you-in-her-arms kind of warmth; this “we can change the world” kind of optimism; this overflowing, Stevie Wonder kind of love.  (Laughter.)  We all understand that.  There is no ego, no sense of entitlement.  This woman couldn’t be a diva if she tried.

And in the end, with Alicia, you get nothing but Alicia.  She simply is who she is, and she does what she knows is right, no matter what anyone else might think.  And with her example, Alicia has truly set a new standard for us all.  That’s why I’m here.  I love this woman.  To measure our lives not by how much we have and how many people know our name, but by how much we give and how many people we help. 

And that is why we are honoring her tonight, and’s why I’m so proud to be here to present her with the Recording Artists Coalition Award.  So let us all show our love for the one and only Alicia Keys.  (Applause.) 

END
8:40 P.M. EDT

The First Lady Speaks at the White House Kitchen Garden Planting

April 15, 2015 | 34:39 | Public Domain

First Lady Michelle Obama joins children in the White House Kitchen Garden to plant for the season.

Download mp4 (1311MB) | mp3 (83MB)

Celebrating Gospel Music: "Where Their Dreams Took Flight"

Chris Evans
April 15, 2015
04:10 PM EST

The President and First Lady hosted music legends and top gospel artists at the White House yesterday for the latest installment of “In Performance at the White House.” The evening of musical performances paid tribute to the fundamental role that gospel music has played in shaping American history and culture.

“Gospel music has evolved over time, but its heart stays true," the President said. “It still has an unmatched power to strike the deepest chord in all of us.”

Watch the President’s full remarks here:

Watch on YouTube

Chris Evans is an intern in the White House Office of Digital Strategy.
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