The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
July 18, 2012

First Lady Michelle Obama Joins Local Elected Officials From Across the Country to Announce Public and Private Sector Commitments to Getting Our Kids Healthier

PHILADELPHIA – First Lady Michelle Obama joined Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and local elected officials from across the country today to announce public and private sector commitments to support the goals of Let’s Move!, the First Lady’s initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. The First Lady has always said that local leaders are uniquely positioned to champion healthy communities, which is why she called on mayors and other local elected officials to take a leadership role in June 2010 when she launched Let’s Move! Cities and Towns. Responding to that call to action, hundreds of local elected officials signed up to start initiatives tailored to help their communities get healthier. Since then, the program has expanded to include counties, and today the First Lady announced private and public sector commitments to support Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties with new tools, resources and a framework to enhance the vital work happening at the local level.  The First Lady also called on more local elected officials to join Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties by signing up at www.healthycommunitieshealthyfuture.org.

“Every day, local officials like these are changing our children’s lives and helping them learn and grow and fulfill every last bit of their potential.  And thanks to the commitments we’re announcing today, our cities, towns and counties will be able to do even more,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “We still have a long way to go to solve this problem.  But if leaders like these keep coming to the table and we all keep working together, then I am confident that we can give all our children the happy, healthy futures they so richly deserve.”

Today’s commitments include:

• The National League of Cities (NLC) is committing to provide support for Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties through its Institute for Youth, Education and Families. With funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NLC will provide all elected officials who sign up for the initiative with free resources, access to experts, tracking tools and maps to help them make healthy changes, record progress and connect with other Lets Move! Cities, Towns and Counties sites. NLC also is collaborating with the United States Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Counties to support elected officials in their efforts to create healthier communities.
• Through the Partnership for a Healthier America’s (PHA) “Play Streets”, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is funding street-closings to increase safe places for families to play. These areas are called “Play Streets” – city streets where kids and families can run, walk, bike or play outside freely without traffic. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is committed to funding Play Streets in 10 cities and towns across the country between now and October 2013 to create at least four Play Streets per city or town. Local leaders can apply for the Play Streets funding at www.ahealthieramerica.org/PlayStreetsRFP.
• KaBOOM!, a national non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America, has committed to providing free materials, technical assistance and online guidance for Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties local elected officials to build or expand public playgrounds.  Additionally, the First Lady cut the ribbon of a new Imagination Playground in a Cart at the event donated by KaBOOM!, which will also provide training and technical assistance to create new play spaces in communities across the country, including a free mobile application to map the location of publicly accessible parks or recreational facilities in local communities.
• To help local elected officials achieve their goals, subject matter experts from the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Agriculture have collaborated to provide technical assistance and information for local elected officials on the new website launched today by the National League of Cities, www.healthycommunitieshealthyfuture.org.

Local Elected Officials Making Change
The First Lady was joined by local elected officials from across the country who are working to make their communities healthier. For background on these leaders, please visit  http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/17/background-local-officials-joining-first-lady-michelle-obama-lets-move-e

Clear Goals for Healthy Communities
In addition to the new commitments announced today, Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties will work with local elected officials to achieve five targeted goals within a year that will help communities be healthier. To achieve these goals, the initiative will encourage officials to consider forming a childhood obesity task force or aligning with an existing task force that engages a range of city agencies, partners and constituents to achieve the goals of  Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties.

• Goal I:  Start Early, Start Smart
To provide children with a healthier start, local elected officials commit to helping early care and education program providers incorporate best practices for nutrition, physical activity and screen time into their programs.

• Goal II:  MyPlate, Your Place
To empower parents and caregivers, local elected officials commit to prominently displaying MyPlate in all municipal or county venues where food is served.

• Goal III:  Smart Servings for Students
To provide healthy food in schools, local elected officials commit to increasing participation in the School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program.            

• Goal IV:  Model Food Service
To improve access to healthy, affordable foods, local elected officials commit to implementing healthy and sustainable food service guidelines that are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in all municipal and county venues that serve food.

• Goal V:  Active Kids at Play
To increase physical activity, local elected officials commit to mapping local playspaces, completing a community needs assessment, developing an action plan and launching a minimum of three proven policies, programs or initiatives aimed at increasing access to play.

The President and First Lady Honor Nelson Mandela International Day

Megan Slack
Megan Slack
July 18, 2012
11:23 AM EST
First Lady Michelle Obama talks with President Nelson Mandela

First Lady Michelle Obama talks with former South African President Nelson Mandela about his book during a visit at Mandela's home in Houghton, South Africa, June 21, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)

Today, July 18, marks the fourth annual Nelson Mandela International Day. Below, read the statement from President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama honoring the day, and Mandela's life and work. 

On behalf of the people of the United States, we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Nelson Mandela on the occasion of his 94th birthday and the fourth annual Nelson Mandela International Day. Mandela’s extraordinary life and steadfast commitment to the principles of democracy and reconciliation continues to be a beacon for people of all backgrounds who strive for dignity, justice, and freedom. 

Nelson Mandela’s personal story is one of unbreakable will, unwavering integrity, and abiding humility.  On a personal note, our family has been inspired by Madiba’s example, and has deeply appreciated the time we have spent with him, and his wisdom, grace and generosity of spirit.  By any measure, Nelson Mandela has changed the arc of history, transforming his country, continent, and the world.

In 2009, the United States joined 192 United Nations member states in the creation of Nelson Mandela International Day. On this important occasion, we honor Madiba’s commitment to service and the betterment of our communities. There is no more fitting tribute to a man who has demonstrated to the world the extraordinary power of non-violence, of tolerance, and of unwavering service to our fellow men and women.

Related Topics: Inside the White House

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
July 17, 2012

Background on Local Officials Joining First Lady Michelle Obama at Let's Move! Event in Philadelphia Tomorrow

Washington – Tomorrow in Philadelphia, First Lady Michelle Obama will join Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as well as local elected officials from across the country to announce public and private sector commitments to get our kids healthier as part of her Let’s Move! initiative to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation.

The First Lady will be joined by leaders from across the country who are working to make their communities healthier. Below is background on these elected officials:

Michael Nutter, Mayor of Philadelphia
In line with the overarching goals of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative, the City of Philadelphia has made a substantial commitment to improving residents’ overall health and physical fitness through Get Healthy Philly, a ground breaking public health initiative focused on healthy eating, active living and tobacco control.  Through partnerships with government agencies, community-based organizations, the private sector and academic institutions, Get Healthy Philly is working to increase the availability and affordability of healthy foods, decrease the availability and marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages and increase physical activity among Philadelphians.  In just two short years, Get Healthy Philly has made great progress in creating environments that make it easier for Philadelphians to engage in healthy behaviors. These changes have occurred in neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and the media.  Over the last two years, Get Healthy Philly has made significant strides:

  • Increased access to healthy foods for 220,000 residents of low-income neighborhoods
  • Opened 10 new farmers’ markets in low-income communities
  • Helped increase SNAP redemption at markets by 335% through the Philly Food Bucks program
  • Trained and supported over 630 corner stores to sell healthier products, such as produce, water and low-fat dairy
  • Installed 9.7 miles of conventional bicycle lanes, 6.7 miles of new buffered bike lanes, 2.0 miles of Green bicycle lanes and 8.9 miles of shared bicycle lanes 
  • Integrated healthy living and health impact assessments into Philadelphia 2035, the city’s new comprehensive plan
  • Established active School Wellness Councils in 171 public schools serving over 100,000 students to incorporate physical activity into the school-day and remove junk foods from classrooms, school stores and fundraisers
  • Implemented food and fitness standards for over 200 Out-of-School Time afterschool programs and 100 after-school recreation programs that serve 20,000 children annually
  • Increased parents’ awareness about the sugar content of beverages like soda, fruit drinks and sweet teas through a media education initiative that was seen or heard over 40 million times

In addition, the City of Philadelphia has embraced the Corporation for National and Community Service’s “United We Serve: Let’s Read! Let’s Move!” initiative.   Mayor Nutter’s Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service convenes a steering committee comprised of grassroots and more established non-profit organizations that promote reading, exercise and healthy eating.  Each summer, starting in 2010, the steering committee has hosted a series of volunteer driven, neighborhood based events promoting the tenets of “Let’s Read! Let’s Move!”  These events have included a community health fair, family-friendly field days, healthy food tastings and two 5K run/walks.  Currently, the steering committee is gearing up for a city-wide “Let’s Read! Let’s Move! Field Day” on August 1st, organized in partnership with the Mayor’s “Fun, Safe Philly Summer Campaign.” 

Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, NJ
Let’s Move! Newark was established on October 10, 2010 by Mayor Booker, as a result of the drastic increase in the occurrence of childhood obesity in children residing in the City of Newark. Working with existing pertinent data, studies and reports to accurately identify and address a variety of precursors to childhood obesity, the City aims to significantly reduce the occurrence of childhood obesity in the City of Newark. The program is being overseen by the Newark Youth Policy Board and the Let’s Move! Newark Council. Let’s Move! Newark has brought opportunities for healthier food choices and physical activity to Newarkers through many initiatives, including: the Marching 4 PALA campaign that challenges youth to get 60 minutes of activity today and earn a Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) and the Cory Booker Challenge, an online fitness game that encourages participants to earn points and awards when they participate in physical activities. Mayor Booker serves as the Honorary Vice Chair of the Partnership for a Healthier America and has made the health and well-being of Newark’s residents a priority for the Booker Administration.

Mick Cornett, Mayor of Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett famously put his entire city on a diet, resulting in 47,000 residents losing one million pounds. More importantly, Cornett started a community-wide conversation that opened the doors to nearly $1 billion in infrastructure investment designed, in large part, to promote a more active lifestyle. Oklahoma City – once on the list of America’s least fit cities – is adding miles of hike and bike trails, senior wellness/aquatic centers, river sports, and a new 70-acre downtown central park. The City is also redesigning and constructing 180 acres of urban streetscapes with an emphasis on pedestrian traffic. Cornett is also co-chair of Wellness Now, a partnership with the City/County Health Department that is currently building a 54-acre health and wellness campus on the city’s northeast side. The project represents far more than a new building that will deliver public health services: it marks a major, innovative shift in approach to improving community health. The Wellness Campus will offer a central location for activities aimed at reducing chronic diseases by focusing on programs that encourage people to become leaner, more active, nutritionally aware and health conscious.

Karl Dean, Mayor of Nashville, TN
Mayor Karl Dean recognizes that healthy eating and active living are not only personal choices for individuals to make every day, but also the result of the built environment in which they live, their family and community culture, and their personal knowledge and awareness about healthy choices. Mayor Dean’s vision for improving the health of Nashville citizens is to have a city where the healthy choice becomes the easy choice for all residents. Mayor Dean is working to instill real change in the health of Nashville citizens by making significant capital investments in infrastructure that supports healthy living, such as sidewalks, bikeways, sports fields, interactive play parks and open space, and then inspiring people of all ages to take advantage of those resources through community-wide health challenges that bring people together.

Mayor Dean’s community health challenges began just months after being sworn into office with the launch of the Mayor’s “Let’s Get Moving Challenge” in April 2008. This initiative was a week-long series of events held in conjunction with National Public Health Week where Mayor Dean challenged Nashville citizens to get active and take advantage of the city’s resources for a healthy lifestyle, especially parks and greenways. Encouraged by a high level of public interest, Mayor Dean began holding monthly neighborhood walks all across the city, which was followed by a “Walk 100 Miles with the Mayor” health challenge in 2011 where over 4,000 Nashvillians walked more than 100,000 miles. With the success of the Walk 100 campaign, Mayor Dean recently initiated other large, public initiatives inspiring the community to be active, such as “The Mayor’s Challenge 5K” and “Mayor’s Field Day with the Tennessee Titans.” Between Mayor Dean’s on-going health challenges and his investment in expanding infrastructure that supports healthy living, Nashville’s leader is shaping a healthier community for this generation and the generations to come.

Ted Ellis, Mayor of Bluffton, IN
The City of Bluffton partnered with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation over five years ago to establish “Operation Wellness,” which jumpstarted an improvement in the general wellness of the community and enhanced the residents’ understanding of what goes into a healthy lifestyle. To encourage more physical activity, through its Parks department, the city expanded its parks and established new areas for children, individuals and families to walk while also sponsoring community competitions called “mileage clubs” to see which students could walk the most.  Bluffton also started a program in local schools to encourage more physical activity and getting kids to get outside to play and onto the playground as well as provide juice and healthier beverage options. The program teaches children about nutrition. Realizing that obesity and poor health is family-wide, parents learned what they could do to adopt a healthier lifestyle.   

To improve employee wellness, the city established a fitness center in city hall and provided employees 24-hour access to exercise. To encourage residents to improve their health, the city sells low-cost memberships to residents.  Bluffton also started regular employee health fairs to provide preventive health screenings and regular health campaigns.  Six times a year, the city sponsors a campaign on a specific health concern and brings in a local health expert to talk to employees about the problem and how it can be avoided. When the initial grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was completed, the residents demonstrated their commitment to health and raised money to start a YMCA to continue the work. Thanks to the success of these wellness efforts, Bluffton has been able to keep its health care costs level for the last four years with no health care cost increases for employees.

Harvey Johnson, Jr., Mayor of Jackson, MS
The City of Jackson’s Employee Wellness Committee partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi in March of 2011 to kick off a ten week walking campaign for city employees.  The “Let’s Go Jackson” program encouraged city employees to spend time walking every day to control weight, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, improve productivity and strengthen their bones and muscles. Mayor Johnson kicked the ten-week event off, and over 200 employees signed up to participate in the program. Employees kept logs of when and how much they walked and reported health benefits from the walking program, including notable weight loss. Employees were awarded for their participation during a special ceremony, and those who walked the most were provided awards from local businesses. Recognition was also given to the City Department with the most participation.

Kevin Johnson, Mayor of Sacramento, CA
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson created the Greenwise Joint Venture with the objective of transforming Sacramento into the Emerald Valley: the greenest region in the country and a hub for clean technology. Greenwise has a number of actions to do this including a focus on raising the Green IQ through the education of children, K-12 and to promote healthy eating, supporting the region's agricultural economy and preserving farmland.  To this end, the Mayor created the first Edible Schoolyard in a high school setting in the state of California. The project, in Sacramento, will include a hands-on kitchen classroom, a complete overhaul of cafeteria services, and an on-campus garden, with the eventual goal of having the students run the cafeteria as a business by partnering with local organic farmers.

Mayor Johnson has used his influence and national reach to establish Dr. Oz’s Health Corps in five area schools, which targets high-need school populations with high incidents of obesity and early on-set diabetes.  The City of Sacramento has also adopted the Healthy Vending Nutrition Policy, as well as being recognized as an “Active City” in the Health Eating/Active Living (HEAL) Cities Campaign. Finally, Sacramento can claim credit as home to the nation’s second best park system in the United States by the Trust for Public Land.  This recognizes Sacramento specifically for how well the City has provided accessible play space and amenities for its residents.

Larry Johnson, Commissioner of DeKalb County, GA
In 2005, Commissioner Johnson, by Resolution declared “walking” as the official exercise of DeKalb County. Each year he hosts a 4-mile walk as part of the initiative called DeKalb Walks…for the Health of It!  The past two years of the initiative have been dedicated to the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative. The next walk is scheduled for September 8, 2012. In addition, Commissioner Johnson co-sponsored the first Let’s Move! DeKalb event in June 2011 at the Porter Sanford Center.  In May of this year, Commissioner Johnson co-hosted the first ‘DeKalb Day of Play’ and in June hosted the first DeKalb Diabetes Awareness 8-mile bike ride; both in support of Let’s Move!  This year, on July 28, 2012, the 2nd Annual Let’s Move! DeKalb event will be held at the Exchange Park Intergenerational Center.

Linda Langston, Supervisor of Linn County, IA
County officials in Linn County, Iowa are committed to improving the health of all those who live, learn and work within the County. The Linn County Board of Health is entering its 5th year of recognizing local public, private and non-profit organizations through a Worksite Wellness Awards Program. In 2012, thirty-five organizations received a no cost assessment to identify strengths and opportunities for making their worksite a healthier place. Large and small workplaces alike appreciate the assistance provided by local health department staff in identifying easy, low or no cost changes grounded in best practice that can facilitate better health for employees and greater productivity for the business. Simple things such as using smaller plates in the cafeteria, stocking vending machines with healthier options, and tobacco free properties can lead the way in long-term behavior change for employees and their families. Additionally, Governor Branstad’s Healthiest State Initiative serves as a driving force of the Mayor’s initiative.

Marie Lopez Rogers, Mayor of Avondale, AZ
Avondale’s leaders are committed to ensuring that the city’s families have the resources to keep kids healthy through its myriad of youth sports and recreation activities, early childhood programs and family services resources. In 2011, Avondale, through a public private partnership, opened the Randall McDaniel Sports Complex, an 80,000 square foot indoor basketball, soccer and volleyball sports facility, to encourage physical activity among youth. The city also partnered with a farmers market co-op to host Saturday morning farmers markets at Avondale Friendship Park so that residents have access to fresh, locally grown produce. Additionally, the city’s Civic Center campus is the site of a community garden, The Garden Patch, where residents can lease small plots of land to grow and harvest their own fruits and vegetables. Avondale has long promoted walking and cycling through its participation in programs such as Safe Routes to School/Walk to School Day, and its commitment to building walking trails, bike lanes and open space amenities all across the city. The Mayor’s monthly City Hall Comes to You initiative has also focused on healthy eating, with nutrition demonstrations at a local Food City grocery store, and “Come and Play” events for young children and parents at the Avondale Library. Avondale also partners with its six school districts, the Boys & Girls Club, and a host of other groups to keep the city on the move.

Jack Reed, Jr., Mayor of Tupelo, MS
Mayor Reed established the “Mayor’s Task Force On A Healthy City,” a passionate all-citizen group which founded the “Health On A Shelf” initiative, now nationally recognized, which puts healthy choices in convenience stores throughout the city. He also began “The Mayor’s Marathon” which has resulted in all 4000 K-12 Tupelo Public School students running 26.2 miles in a month (a mile every school day) for 3 years in a row, giving them the opportunity to experience daily exercise and earn a signed certificate of success from “Mayor Jack”!  In co-operation with the Tupelo Parks and Recreation Department, the Tupelo Public Schools, and citizen volunteers, the mayor also established the “Safe Splash Program” which teaches every second grader how to swim, providing them with both a life-saving skill and a life-time sport.

Joe Riley, Mayor of Charleston, SC
Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. has been a supporter of healthier lifestyles for Charlestonians for all of his ten terms of service.  Thirty-five years ago, he was one of the founders of the Cooper River Bridge Run, which today is one of the nation’s largest and most successful 10K road races.  More recently, he founded Lighten Up Charleston. This mayoral initiative has as its goal to make Charleston the healthiest city in the southeast.  He has challenged local hospitals, schools, colleges, businesses, health agencies, physicians and community leaders to join together to encourage Charlestonians to lose a goal of 100,000 pounds. A website, www.lightenupcharleston.org, has been established to help citizens track their weight loss and to encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity.  Mayor Riley believes that in a community where more than 40% of public school students are overweight, physical activity and healthy eating habits are critical skills for all citizens to learn.

Taking in Team USA

Matt Compton
Matt Compton
July 17, 2012
04:10 PM EST
President Obama attends the U.S. Men's Olympic basketball team's game against Brazil (July 17, 2012)

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, with granddaughter Naomi Biden, attend the U.S. Men's Olympic basketball team's game against Brazil at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., July 16, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In the lead up to the 2012 London Olympics, the USA men's basketball team last night played an exhibition game against Brazil at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC.

President Obama was on hand, along with First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Biden.

The Obamas and company watched Team USA take on a talented and experienced Brazil squad, also featuring multiple NBA starters. Led by 30 points, six rebounds, and four steals from LeBron James, the Americans forced 23 turnovers to capture an 80-69 win.

Earlier, the USA women's team routed their Brazilian counterparts, 99-67 -- led by 21 points from the three-time WNBA All Star Lindsay Whalen.

President Obama met with both teams to offer some words of encouragement before the players and coaches head to the United Kingdom to defend their gold medals. The Olympics start on July 28, and the First Lady will help to lead the U.S. delegation.

We managed to grab some behind the scenes video from the night. Check it out below.

Earlier, we talked with Alonzo Mourning, a gold medalist in the 2000 Sydney Olympics with Team USA, about the challenges this year's squad will face in London. Watch Alonzo Mourning talk about Team USA basketball.

 

Related Topics: Inside the White House

First Lady Michelle Obama Honors Design Innovators at the White House

Colleen Curtis
Colleen Curtis
July 16, 2012
01:42 PM EST

First Lady Michelle Obama paid tribute to designers from the fields of fashion, architecture, technology, and landscapes on Friday during a luncheon in the East Room of the White House.

The event was part of the Smithsonian's annual Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards, and the winners, which included a diverse range of creative visionaries from the founder of the TED Conference to fashion designer Thom Browne to a company that partners with social entrepreneurs to address needs in developing countries, also participated in an education program for local high school students.

In her remarks, the First Lady praised the winners for "pushing boundaries, creating and revealing beauty where we least expect it, and helping us all lead healthier, more sustainable lives:"

And that is the defining characteristic of today’s honorees. All of them have done something really good for our country and our world. From the clothes we wear to the technologies we use to the public spaces we enjoy, their work affects just about every aspect of our lives. And on days like today, when we gather to celebrate these extraordinary individuals, it’s easy to go on and on about everything they’ve achieved and the impact that they’ve had. It is a very easy thing to do with this group.

But it’s also important to remember that today’s awards ceremony is only part of the story. We know that for these men and women, the journey to this day began long before they ever walked through the doors of the White House. It started in studios and classrooms and dorm rooms, where they spent long hours and late nights hunched over a sketchpad or squinting at a computer screen, drafting and redrafting and re-redrafting. (Laughter.)

And this is a point I especially want to emphasize for all of the young people who have joined us today. What you guys have to understand is that these honorees weren’t born brilliant designers. They became brilliant designers because they worked hard. They’re here today because they had a dream, and they put in long, hard, exhausting work -- all of that that it takes to follow that dream.

Related Topics: Inside the White House

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 15, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, New York

12:43 P.M. EDT
 
     MRS. OBAMA:  Yes!  (Applause.)  Thanks so much.  You all rest yourselves.  Rest yourselves, because we want you working.  (Laughter.)  So we don’t want you tired from clapping or anything like that.
 
     I want to thank you so much.  It is a true delight to be here in probably one of my favorite places, Stone Barns and Blue Hill.  I want to thank Dan for that very kind introduction, but also for hosting us here at Blue Hill.  And I want to also thank he and Laureen and his family who have given us such support over the years.
 
     Before I thank other people I just want to just note, Dan always underplays the role that he's -- he had in all the work that I've been doing with the garden, with obesity.  Because truly, he was probably one of the first people who has been in this movement who I connected with.  Sam Kass, we mentioned, actually talks so -- spoke so highly of Dan that actually he flew out to our home in Chicago in the midst of the campaign and cooked a meal for us.  He brought vegetables and pork and all that stuff he does out here, and he cooked for me and Barack.  And I had never tasted vegetables that were so fresh and so delicious and so simply created. 
 
And I knew then and there that if, as he put it, if more people understood what good food tastes like that they would demand it, and I knew that this could work because if places like Blue Hill and all the work that’s going -- been going on around the country were known and shared by more people in this country, then we'd be in a better place.
 
     So I want to thank Dan for being among the many who have laid the foundation, and have been doing the work long before anybody knew who Michelle Obama was.  I want to thank all those folks for their hard work, for keeping this going.  (Applause.) 
 
     And there are a few other people I want to thank today, the folks who worked so hard to cohost and pull together this event.  Of course Vanessa Williams -- thank you so much, Vanessa.  (Applause.)  There you are over there.  Bari Mattes, as well -- where is Bari.  There you go.  (Applause.)  Thank you. 
 
     And probably two of my favorite people in the whole world -- Michael and James.  They're characters.  (Applause.)  They have just been amazing -- not just here in New York in terms of raising money, but on all coasts.  They have just been -- truly.  I see them everywhere.  (Laughter.)  They're probably tired of me.  I'm embarrassed to even do my stump speech because they know it by heart.  So just don’t mouth the words as I'm talking, would you please?  (Laughter.)  Can you just not do that?
 
     And I also want to thank Margaret Russell, as well.  (Applause.)  There -- right next to -- Margaret.  You all are amazing.  This is -- not everybody has Sunday free to hang out with the First Lady, so I appreciate you all taking the time.  (Laughter.) 
 
     I also want to give a big thank you and a hello to all the grassroots volunteers who are here today.  The folks who do the work that is somewhat hard and sometimes thankless, but it's essential -- the folks who are making all those calls and knocking on doors, which is something that a lot of people do.  That’s a scary thing, knocking on a stranger's door, right?  I see a lot of face shaking, head shaking -- and walking up and talking about Barack Obama.  That’s a scary proposition, but you all are doing that work.  So I want to give you all a special round of applause, because we could do this without you.  (Applause.) 
 
     And finally, I want to thank all of you for taking the time to join us today.  And I know that so many of you are busy this summer, you've got busy lives to lead -- you've got jobs, careers, you're doing -- you've got classes to attend.   I see young people who have got camp and babysitting camp and all that stuff going on.  (Laughter.)  We've got families -- yes for babysitting camp.  (Laughter.) 
 
And we all have our families to raise so I know time is precious, but I also know there's a reason why all of us are here today -- and it's not just because we support what I believe is an extraordinary President, which we do.  (Applause.)   I'm a little biased.  And I know we're not just here because we want to win an election, which we do and we will.  (Applause.) 
 
We are all here and we're doing this work because of the values we believe in.  And that’s really what I'm talking about when I go out -- just getting people focused on the values we believe in.  We're doing this because of the vision for this country that we all share.  We're doing this because we want all our children to have good schools -- the kind of schools that push them, and inspire them, and prepare them for opportunities in the future.  Yes indeed.  (Laughter.)  Especially you.  Sign her up.  She should travel with me.  (Laughter.) 
 
And we want our parents and our grandparents to be able to retire with dignity, because we believe that in America, after a lifetime of hard work they should be able to enjoy their golden years.  We want to restore that basic middle-class security for our families in this country because we believe that in America, folks shouldn’t go bankrupt because someone gets sick.  We believe that people shouldn’t lose their home because someone loses a job -- not in America.  We believe that responsibility should be rewarded and hard work should pay off.  And we believe that everyone should do their share -- fair share, but play by the same rules.
 
And what I remind people is these are basic American values.  They're the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.  As people know -- they've come to know me by now as First Lady.  They know my background.  Folks know that my father was a blue collar city worker at the city water plant, and my family lived in a little-bitty apartment on the South Side of Chicago -- my mother still lives there.  My parents never had the kinds of educational opportunities that we had, and growing up I watched them save and sacrifice.  I watched how they poured everything they had into me and my brother.  They held us to the same high standards of excellence because they wanted us both to have the kind of education they could only dream of.
 
My parents did everything in their power to support my college education, and while pretty much all of my tuitions came from loans and grants, my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself.  And let me tell you, every semester he was determined to pay his portion and to pay it on time, because he was so proud to be able to send his kids to college.  And he did all he could to lessen our financial burden by ensuring that neither me or my brother would ever have to miss a registration deadline because his check was late. 
 
And like so many people in this country, my father took great pride in being able to earn a decent living that allowed him to handle his responsibilities to his family -- to pay all of his bills and to pay them on time.  That’s all he wanted.
 
And really, more than anything else, that is what's at stake in this election.  That’s why we're here.  That’s what we're fighting for.  It's that fundamental promise that no matter who you are or how you started out, if you work hard you can build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.  It is that promise that binds us together as Americans.  It's what makes us who we are.  It's what makes this country special. 
 
And truly, from now until November -- and the time is getting shorter -- Barack is going to need everyone to get out there and to remind people about our values.  Remind them what's at stake, what we're fighting for.  Tell them about this vision, and about everything that’s at stake this election. 
 
And I want you to start with the economy.  You can start by telling people how Barack fought for tax cuts for working families and small businesses because he understands that an economy built to last truly starts with the middle class and with folks who are creating jobs and putting people back to work. 
 
I want you to remind people how back when Barack first took office -- I say this everywhere I go -- remind people that this economy was losing an average of 750 jobs every single month.  That’s what he inherited.  That’s what welcomed him after that wonderful, cold inauguration day.  But also let people know that for the past 28 straight months, we've actually been gaining private sector jobs -- more than 4 million jobs in just two years.
 
So while we still have a long way to go to rebuild our economy, today, millions of people are collecting a paycheck again.  Millions of folks like my dad are able to take care of their bills again.  Got to let them know. 
 
And you can also remind people about how so many folks in Washington were telling Barack to let the auto industry go under -- I don’t know if you remember that.  (Laughter.)  With more than a million jobs on the line, they said let it go.  But fortunately, Barack had the backs of American workers.  He put his faith in the American people, and as a result, the auto industry is back on its feet again, and, more importantly, people are back to work providing for their families again.
 
And when it comes to health care, you can tell people how insurance companies will now have to cover preventative care -- basic things like contraception, cancer screenings, prenatal care at no extra cost.  (Applause.)  Millions of our senior citizens have saved hundreds of dollars on their prescription drugs, and our young people now can stay on their parents' insurance until they're 26 years old.  And let people know that’s how 6.6 million young people in this country are getting the health care they need, and without it they have nothing.
 
And when it comes to education, you can tell folks that Barack knows what it's like to be drowning in student debt.  I share with folks, back when he and I first started out, we had just gotten married and were trying to build our life together, our combined student loan bill was actually higher than our mortgage -- and that’s the norm.  And that’s why Barack fought so hard to prevent student loan rates from increasing -- he had to fight for that.  And that’s why he's doubled Pell grants, helping four million more students in this country afford the education for the jobs of the future.  It's not just about them, it's about this economy.
 
And when it comes to increasing opportunities for all of our young people in this country, I want you to tell people how Barack has been fighting for the DREAM Act.  Understand this -- he's fighting for this because he believes that it's time to stop denying responsible young people opportunities in this country just because they're the children of undocumented immigrants.  Remind them about that, he's been fighting for that. 
 
When it comes to keeping our country safe, let them know Barack kept his promise to bring our troops home from Iraq.  You can remind them about how our brave men and women in uniform finally brought to justice the man behind the 9/11 attacks, and you can tell them that our troops -- (applause) -- never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love, because Barack ended "don't ask, don't tell."  (Applause.) 
 
And when it comes to supporting women and families in this country, I want you to tell people how Barack fought to make it easier for women to get equal pay for equal work because of the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the very first bill he signed into law.  (Applause.)  And Barack signed this bill because he knows that closing that pay gap for women can mean the difference from them losing $50, $100, $500 from each paycheck or having that money in their pockets to buy gas and groceries, and to put clothes on the backs of their kids.  And he did it because when so many women in this country are now breadwinners, truly, women's success in this economy is the key to families' success in this economy.  You've got to let them know.
 
And I always, finally want people to remember about our Supreme Court.  Don’t forget those two brilliant Supreme Court justices Barack appointed.  (Applause.)  You see how important those appointments are.  And how for the first time, our sons and our daughters watched three women take their seat on our nation's highest court -- for the first time.  (Applause.) 
 
And I could go on and on and on.  This is just three and a half years' worth of work.  But people have to understand that all of it is at stake in November.  It's all on the line.  And really, it boils down to on simple question -- are we going to continue the change we've begun and the progress we've made, or are we going to allow everything we've fought for to just slip away?  Because that’s just what's going to happen.
 
And one of the things I know is that we can't allow that to happen.  We can't turn back now.  We need to keep moving forward.  That’s what this election is about.  More than anything else, that’s what we're working for -- the chance to finish all the wonderful work that we've started.  The chance to keep fighting for the values we believe in, and the vision for this country that we all share.  There's nothing that I've said that isn't something that anybody can grasp onto. 
 
And let me tell you, that’s what Barack has been doing every single day as President.  He's been fighting for us.  And let me tell you, for the past three and a half years as First Lady, I've had the chance to see up close and personal what it looks like to be President.  (Laughter.)
 
And let me share something with you -- I've seen it.  I have seen how the issues that come across and President's desk, they are always the hard ones.  He doesn’t get any easy questions -- none.  Those all get solved before they come to him.  The problems with no easy solution, the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and there's no margin for error.
 
And as President, you're going to get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people all the time.  But in the end, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, truly, all you have to guide you are your life experiences.  All you have to direct you are your values and your vision.  In the end, it boils down to who you are and what you stand for.  That’s what being President is. 
 
And what I want people to understand is that when it comes to Barack Obama, we know who he is.  We know what he stands for. 
 
He is the son of a single mother who struggled to pay the bills and put herself through school.  He's the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn every day to catch her bus to her job at a bank.  And even though Barack's grandmother was good at what she did and worked hard to support her family, like so many women, she hit that glass ceiling and watched men no more qualified than she was -- men she had actually trained -- be promoted up the ladder ahead of her.
 
So what America has to know is their President understands what it means when a family struggles.  This is not a hypothetical situation for him.  He knows what it means when someone doesn’t have a chance to fulfill their potential.
 
And truly, today, as a father, he knows what it means to want something better for your kids.  Those are the experiences that have made him the man and the President he is today, and we are blessed to have him.  We truly are.
 
So when there's a choice about our children's futures, about investing in their schools, about helping them attend college without a mountain of debt, you all know where Barack stands.  When it comes time to stand up for our workers and our families so folks can make a decent wage and save for retirement, see a doctor when they're sick, you know what my husband's going to do.  You know this already.
 
When we need a President to protect our most basic rights, no matter who we love or where we're from or what race or gender we are, you know you can count on Barack Obama because that is what he's been doing every single day as President of the United States -- every single day.  That’s what this is about. 
 
But I have said this before and I will say it again and again -- I said it throughout the whole last campaign -- he can't do this alone.  This isn't about us sitting back and watching one man deliver miracles.  He needs our help. 
 
This election will be closer than the last one.  That is the only thing I can guarantee you.  So he needs your help.  And sitting on the sidelines is simply not an option if we want to keep moving this country forward.  Barack needs you to be actively and passionately engaged in this election.
 
So you need to do some work, too.  (Laughter.)  Roll up some sleeves, make those phone calls.  He needs you to organize more events, and share conversations and information.  He needs you to join a neighborhood team, because we have thousands of those across the country.  These are groups of people all over the state, all over the country who are giving just a little bit of their time and energy to make a difference in this campaign.  Everything we do on the ground runs through these teams, and these teams are going to be the key to victory.
 
So today, we have got volunteers who are who can answer your questions and get you signed up and get one of our "I'm In" cards.  And once you sign up, what I'm telling people is that we need you to multiply yourselves.  If you think about -- like multiply yourselves.  This room should be 100 rooms full.  We need you to reach out to everyone you know; everyone you know who is either sitting on the sidelines or somehow unhappy with something.  (Laughter.)  We need you to touch them -- your friends, your family, your neighbors and tell them to go to barackobama.com to find out what they can do to learn, to help, to get engaged.
 
And if things look good where you are, if you're in one of these wonderful states where things are great, then pack a bag.  (Laughter.)  Pack a bag, spend some time in a battleground state like Pennsylvania.  I could name a few that are very near, driveable.  (Laughter.)  And think about talking to some of the undecided voters -- that’s what we did last year.  It's that connection.  Talking to undecided people who don’t know any of this.  They're just not paying attention, or they're confused about an issue.  But let them know what's at stake.
 
And if you have any doubt about the difference that you can make, I just want you to remember that in the end, this election could come down to those last few thousand people that we register to vote.  That could make the difference.  It could all come down to those last few thousand people we help get to the poll on November the 6.  When it's close, it's about turnout.  When it's close, it's about who we're connected to.
 
So what I'm telling people everywhere I go to understand is that with every conversation you have, I want you to remember, think that this could be the one that makes the difference.  Don’t underestimate the value of one conversation.  That is the impact that each of us can have in this election.
 
So if you've gotten some notion that I'm passionate -- (laughter) -- it's because I’m buying into this.  I'm thinking somebody here is on the line, somebody here is not quite sure, somebody here is feeling a little sort of -- not really sure.  I want to change your mind and have you be the one that makes the difference. 
 
And I'm not going to kid you, this journey is going to be long.  It is going to be hard.  And there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way -- woo.  (Laughter.)  But what I want people to remember is that’s how change -- real change -- always happens in this country. 
 
Real change is slow.  Real change takes time.  Real change hurts a little bit.  But if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, then eventually we get there -- we always have.  In this country, we've never gone backwards.  Not for women, not for minorities.  We have always kept moving forward.
 
But what we have to remember -- it may not happen in our lifetime, but maybe in our children's lifetimes, right?  Maybe in our grandchildren's lifetimes.  Because in the end, that’s what this is about.  It's not about us -- it's about them.  It's about our children.
 
And let me tell you, that’s what I think about every night when I tuck my girls in -- they're getting a little big for tucking, but I still force the tucking.  (Laughter.)  I think about the world I want to leave for them, and for all of our sons and daughters.  I think about how I want to do for them what my mom and dad did for me. 
 
I want all our children to have a foundation for their dreams -- every single one of them -- not just mine, but all of them.  I want to give them opportunities worthy of their promise, because every single child in this country is worthy.  I want all our children to have that sense of limitless possibility -- that belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you're willing to work for it.
 
So we just can't turn back now.  We cannot turn back now.  We have come so far, but we have so much more work to do -- so much more work to do.
 
So I have one last question that I ask everybody -- are you ready for this?  Are you all in?  (Applause.)  And I hope there's somebody that’s undecided out there who is now in; someone who is ready to roll up their sleeves and reach out and share information, and remind people not just about what's happened over the last three years, but to let them know about the future.  Because this election is still about the future.  It is still about hope.  It's still about the way we want this country to look for our children.
 
So I hope you all are fired up, because if you haven't noticed I certainly am.  I am fired up, and I am ready to go.  And I want you all out there every single moment that you have.  I can't wait to see you out there, and I know that we can get this done.
 
Thank you all.  God bless.
 
                        END                1:09 P.M. EDT
 

First Lady Michelle Obama Honors National Design Awards Winners

July 13, 2012 | 15:23 | Public Domain

First Lady Michelle Obama hosts a luncheon honoring the Smithsonian’s 2012 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award winners.

Download mp4 (543MB) | mp3 (35MB)

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
July 13, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at the Cooper-Hewitt Design Awards Luncheon

East Room

1:15 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Good afternoon, everyone.  Welcome to the White House.  Yes!  (Applause.)  If I do say so myself, it looks pretty nice in here.  (Laughter.) 

It is always a pleasure to be here with all of you today as we recognize this year’s winners of the National Design Awards.  Every day, these visionary designers are pushing boundaries, creating and revealing beauty where we least expect it, and helping us all lead healthier, more sustainable lives. 

Tim Prestero and his colleagues at Design that Matters helped create revolutionary products for developing countries, including a neonatal incubator made of spare car parts, and a projector for nighttime adult literacy classes in Africa. 

Another one of our honorees, Janine Benyus, has been a leading light in the field of biomimicry, helping us draw inspiration from nature to design new, sustainable technologies.  And as she puts it, “We are part of a brilliant planet; we are surrounded by genius.”

And then there’s Richard Saul Wurman, who has -- quite dashing and sassy, I must say -- (laughter) -- who has spent his career transforming information into knowledge and helping us better understand the world around us.  He has published, written and designed more than 80 books -- been a little busy -- and he actually coined the term “information architecture.”  But in the end, as he put it, he does this work "not for fame, fortune or money," but "just really to do something good." 

And that is the defining characteristic of today’s honorees.  All of them have done something really good for our country and our world.  From the clothes we wear to the technologies we use to the public spaces we enjoy, their work affects just about every aspect of our lives.  And on days like today, when we gather to celebrate these extraordinary individuals, it’s easy to go on and on about everything they’ve achieved and the impact that they’ve had.  It is a very easy thing to do with this group. 

But it’s also important to remember that today’s awards ceremony is only part of the story.  We know that for these men and women, the journey to this day began long before they ever walked through the doors of the White House.  It started in studios and classrooms and dorm rooms, where they spent long hours and late nights hunched over a sketchpad or squinting at a computer screen, drafting and redrafting and re-redrafting.  (Laughter.) 

And this is a point I especially want to emphasize for all of the young people who have joined us today.  What you guys have to understand is that these honorees weren’t born brilliant designers.  They became brilliant designers because they worked hard.  They’re here today because they had a dream, and they put in long, hard, exhausting work -- all of that that it takes to follow that dream. 

And that’s why we invited all of you amazing young people here today, because we want to send you a simple message:  That if you put the time and effort in, if you dream big and truly believe in yourselves, then one day you, too, can create the designs that can change our lives.  You can do this, and maybe even come back and win an award, or two, or three -- or eight, or 10.  (Laughter.)

You all are here today because we believe in you -- and that’s really important for you to know.  You are here because we all believe in you.  And that’s why Cooper-Hewitt created its DesignPrep Scholars program, and I am thrilled that you all have done this.  And I know that we've got some young people from the program here today.  I got to meet some of them, and I'd like to ask them to please stand so that we can see you in the room, all of the -- yes, do it.  Come on, you can do it.  (Applause.)  Stand up.  Make yourselves known.  (Applause.)  Now, the first thing you have to learn is you can't be shy about getting some attention.  (Laughter.) 

Cooper-Hewitt created this program because they know how much promise all of you have, and they want you to have every opportunity to fulfill that promise.  And that’s the same reason why we’ve worked so hard to open the doors of this White House to as many young people as possible.  Whether it's hosting workshops on everything from jazz to poetry to modern dance, we want to expose talented young people just like all of you to the rich culture -- to the rich cultural life of this country. 

And we want you to feel and believe that you belong here.  That is really important -- that you belong in those chairs, that you get comfortable around these tables, like you have a place in our museums, that you have a place in our concert halls and the halls of power not just here in D.C. but anywhere you go.  And that is also the mission of the man that I have the pleasure now of introducing. 

Dr. Wayne Clough, who I've come to know and respect and admire, is the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and he has been working tirelessly with his team to ensure that all Americans can benefit from everything the Smithsonian has to offer.  He’s created all kinds of educational programs for our young people.  He has put the Smithsonian on YouTube -- that’s for the young people -- (laughter) -- on Facebook, Twitter.  They're doing it all.  You're tweeting -- okay.  (Laughter.)  So he is doing everything in his power to keep the Smithsonian on the map, and to make sure that everyone around this country and around the world has access to its resources. 

So one thing I want the young people to know is that in exchange for this lunch, the one thing that I ask young people is that when you get in these seats that you reach back, as well, because that’s how we give back.  Your responsibility is to make a place for the next set of young people when you get these opportunities; when you become the Secretary of the Smithsonian, or the First Lady of the United States, or the President of the United States -- whatever one you choose -- (laughter) -- that you always find a way to keep bringing other young people along with you.  We got that?  Fair deal?  All right.

And with that, I am so thrilled that -- to introduce Dr. Wayne Clough, who will take us to the next phase of the program.  And we're close to lunch.  (Laughter.)  Thank you, Wayne.  (Applause.)

END
1:20 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
July 11, 2012

First Lady Michelle Obama Announces Winners of Let’s Move! Video Challenge

Faith and Community Leaders From California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee chosen for work to solve childhood obesity

WASHINGTON—First Lady Michelle Obama today announced the winners of the Let’s Move! Communities on the Move video challenge, which invited faith and community leaders to share their stories about their efforts to promote wellness and solve the problem of childhood obesity in their communities. Mrs. Obama launched the challenge during the celebration of the second anniversary of Let’s Move!  at an event at Northland, A Church Distributed in Longwood, Florida. The First Lady encouraged participating organizations to create videos that showcased programs related to Let’s Move Faith and Communities that were creative, effective, sustainable, replicable and inspirational. Videos focused on at least one Let’s Move Faith and Communities focus area, including efforts to promote physical activity, access to healthy, affordable food for children and healthy eating using MyPlate, the federal government’s new food icon.  Communities across the country responded enthusiastically to the challenge, submitting videos that represented a broad range of programs, strategies and age groups -- from toddlers to teenagers -- with submissions from 21 states. A panel of judges from Let’s Move!, USDA and HHS chose one winner and several Honorable Mentions. The Popular Choice Award was given to the eligible video with the most votes online. All the winners will be invited to the White House and will meet First Lady Michelle Obama at a date to be announced.

“With lots of creativity and a great sense of fun, these congregations and organizations have shown us the inspiring work being done across the country to help our children lead healthier lives,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “Everyone wants to see our nation become healthier, and these contest winners have shown us that by taking steps big or small, each of us can play a role in solving the problem of childhood obesity. I hope more people are inspired by these organizations to work together for our children’s health.”

The winners of the Let’s Move! Communities on the Move video challenge include:

Macedonia  Missionary Baptist Church – First Prize
Eatonville, FL
Video: Macedonia on the Move

Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of Eatonville, Florida has devised a multigenerational approach to motivate families and communities to take an active role in striving for good health and living life to the fullest. Youth health programs at Macedonia put an emphasis on obesity prevention through physical activity, nutrition education, gardening and group motivation. The Macedonia on the Move video shows their “Fit With Faith” weekly exercise program, Zumba classes and Fitness Boot Camps that infuse some friendly competition into physical activity. The church has partnered with several community organizations and has parents and church leaders serving as role models by engaging in activities that promote health and wellness.

Hispanic Health Council – Honorable Mention
Hartford, CT
Video: Puppets & Peers .....On the Move!    To Prevent Childhood Obesity

The Hispanic Health Council is an organization that uses community-based research, evidence-based direct services and policy advocacy to improve the health and well-being of Latinos and other diverse communities in Hartford, Connecticut. The video highlights their early childhood “PANA” Program, which is funded by USDA’s SNAP-Education program and reaches 30,000 children annually. PANA provides six engaging and informative puppet shows that promote nutrition and physical activity in early childhood centers and school districts in seven of Connecticut's poorest cities. Kids learn through this program that broccoli and other vegetables can be delicious! The Hispanic Health Council also runs a breastfeeding program, supported in part by USDA’s WIC program, which provides support for low-income women who choose to breastfeed, an important component of childhood obesity prevention.

LiveWell Wheat Ridge – Honorable Mention
Wheat Ridge, CO
Video: LiveWell Wheat Ridge
 
LiveWell Wheat Ridge, a community coalition in Colorado, actively applies evidence-based practices to reduce the impact of adult and childhood obesity in Wheat Ridge. Working with diverse members of the community, LiveWell Wheat Ridge is implementing sustainable programs, policies and environmental change to support healthy eating and active living, particularly for those community members and children who are most disparately affected. Their video submission shows their work to increase opportunities for physical activity in Wheat Ridge by building a network of bike paths and constructing a skate park. It also highlights their participation in USDA’s Summer Food Service Program and the promotion of urban agriculture in their suburban Denver community, Wheat Ridge.

Long Island Head Start – Honorable Mention
Patchogue, NY
Video: Sowing The Seeds Of The Future

Long Island Child and Family Development Services provides a comprehensive learning environment for at-risk children and assists families in reaching self-sufficiency by giving children a “head start” in life. Their program teaches the importance of nutrition and physical activity to reverse the trend of childhood obesity. Their video shows the children gardening, learning where their food comes from and eating healthy meals and snacks through their participation in the Child and Adult Food Care Program. Long Island Head Start also teaches children yoga, which promotes physical activity, as well as concentration, focus and anxiety relief. The program emphasizes exploration, nature, teamwork and cooperation.

Martha O’Bryan Center – Honorable Mention
Nashville, TN
Video: Martha O’Bryan - Highway to Health
 
The Martha O’Bryan Center empowers children, youth and adults to transform their lives through education, work and fellowship.  The Center also promotes healthy living in the Nashville area, specifically within the public and low-cost housing communities. Their program focuses on food, exercise and health. Their video shows the Center’s use of USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program for their “Kid’s Café,” which serves approximately 50,000 healthy meals to children in Nashville each year. The Martha O’Bryan Center has also partnered with Fizeek, a group that teaches fitness and health education to children each week.
 
Philadelphia Campaign for Healthier Schools – Honorable Mention
Philadelphia, PA
Video: HYPE! Healthy You. Positive Energy.

The Philadelphia Campaign for Healthier Schools works with 175 public schools to promote healthy eating and active living in the school environment. Participating schools assess their health environments, create improvement plans and receive training and resources to implement wellness goals. 1,000 youth from 100 schools across Philadelphia participated in the Youth for Healthy Change Leadership Summit to develop leadership skills and learn how to plan healthy campaigns for their schools. The video features Healthy You. Positive Energy (HYPE) youth leaders speaking about healthy choices, leading exercise breaks for younger students and brainstorming about how they can make Philadelphia schools healthier and more active.

San Jose State University/Most Holy Trinity Church Food Justice Ministry – Honorable Mention
San Jose, CA
Video: SJSU/MHT Food Justice Communities on the Move Video Challenge
 
The Most Holy Trinity Church Food Justice Ministry is a partnership between San Jose State University and the Most Holy Trinity Church in Santa Clara, California. With participation from students, parishioners and collaborative partner organizations, the program utilizes key messages about healthy eating and physical activity from Let’s Move! to address high rates of obesity in low-income populations living in East San Jose. Their video shows youth enjoying music and dancing. They also participate in Share Our Strength’s “Cooking Matters” nutrition education classes and multi-lingual pulpit announcements about the CalFresh (SNAP) program and the “double-up bucks” program, enabling parishioners to shop for fresh produce at a local farmers market.

South Valley Family YMCA – Honorable Mention
San Jose, CA
Video: A Community on The Move- South Valley Family YMCA

The South Valley Family YMCA’s programs provide creative opportunities for children and families to exercise through sports, group games, cultural dances and Zumba classes. The video shows their afterschool program, where South Valley YMCA offers nutrition education using MyPlate, cooking classes and tasting activities for families to promote fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy foods. The organization utilizes partnerships with schools, local churches, food banks and government agencies to reach low-income youth who are at risk of academic failure and provides them with a safe, healthy and enriching place to be after school.

City of San Fernando Partnership for Healthy Families – Popular Choice Award
San Fernando, CA
Video: 100 Citizens: Role Models for the Future

The 100 Citizens: Role Models for the Future program is a collaborative effort of the City of San Fernando Partnership for Healthy Families. The video highlights their fitness program in San Fernando parks, staffed by Kinesiology student volunteers who are trained in the delivery and benefits of physical activity. The 100 Citizens program promotes the idea that a healthy childhood begins at home, and the program works to help adults establish healthy lifestyles so they can be role models for regular physical activity and good nutrition for their children. The program includes Zumba, body sculpting and cycle spinning and emphasizes that physical activity is fun!

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
July 10, 2012

Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida

5:59 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  You all look good.  Oh my goodness.  Wow.  Four more year years!  Four more years!

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you so much.  We will get it done.  We will get it done with your help, absolutely.  Let me tell you, I am beyond thrilled to be here.  You all look so good -- so good.  (Applause.)

I want to start with a few thank-yous because we wouldn’t be here without a whole lot of people, including you, but I want to start by thanking Melissa for that amazing introduction.  She is an inspiration.  I mean, Melissa is an example of the kind of folks in this country who keep me inspired.  So let’s give her a round of applause for everything she is doing to make us all so proud.  (Applause.)

I also want to thank State Senator-Elect Victor Torres, who’s here; Pastor Jeffrey Rivera; also Staff Sergeant Joseph Washington for all the work he’s doing.  We have an amazing National Campaign Co-Chair, Lynette Acosta.  She is amazing.  I got to meet her.  She’s doing a terrific job.  Let’s give her a round of applause.  And I understand that Milagro Padilla helped to fire you all up earlier, and we want to thank him for that as well.  (Applause.)

And finally, last but not least, I want to thank all of you, truly.  Yes, indeed, all of you.  There are so many of our extraordinary volunteers and organizers.  You all, thank you for everything that you do -- everything.  Yes, we haven’t seen nothing yet.  (Applause.)  But thank you for everything that you do day in and out to make this campaign possible, truly.  Yes, indeed -- yes, indeed. 

You guys are doing the hard work.  I know you’re out there knocking on those doors.   You’re registering those voters.  You all are giving folks the information they need about the issues they care about so they know what to do.  And let me tell you, you have to know -- hi, sweetie -- that the grassroots work that you guys are doing, all that work that you’re doing to get people focused and fired up, that work is at the core of everything we do in this campaign.  It truly is.  But let me tell you, because of you, that’s how we did it four years ago, and that’s how we’re going to do it again today -- absolutely.  (Applause.)

And what I do know is that the work that you are doing is not easy.  You guys are all busy leading wonderful lives -- you’ve got your jobs, your families that you take care of.  Many of you young students, older students, student students, you’re out there, you’ve got classes to attend.  People are raising their families. 

But I also know that there’s a reason why we’re all here today, and why all of you are working so hard.  There’s a reason -- and it’s not just because we all support this awesomely phenomenal, terrific and handsome President.  And I will admit, I’m a bit biased -- (laughter) -- but our President is pretty awesome.  (Applause.)  And we’re not just doing this because we want to win an election -- although we do and we will.  (Applause.)  We are doing this because of the values we believe in. 

I mean, it’s important for us to remember we’re doing this because of the vision for this country that we all share.  We’re doing this because we want all of our kids to have good schools.  You know what kind of schools I’m talking about -- the kind of schools that inspire them.  The kind of schools that prepare them for good jobs and wonderful opportunities.  We want that for all of our kids.  (Applause.)

We want our parents and our grandparents to be able to retire with dignity -- (applause) -- because we believe that after a lifetime of hard work, they should be able to enjoy their golden years, right?  (Applause.)

We are here because we want to restore that basic middle-class security for our families, because we believe that in America folks shouldn’t go bankrupt because someone gets sick.  (Applause.)  They shouldn’t lose their home because someone loses a job.  (Applause.)  We believe in America that responsibility should be rewarded and hard work should pay off.  (Applause.)  We believe that everyone should do their fair share, but play by the same rules, right?  (Applause.) 

And the truth is, these are basic American values, right?  They’re the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.

AUDIENCE:  I love you, Mrs. Obama!

MRS. OBAMA:  I love you, too!  Couldn’t be here without you.  (Applause.)

But I share my story everywhere I go.  My father was a blue-collar city worker -- worked at the city water plant all his life.  And my family lived in a little-bitty apartment on the South Side of Chicago.  (Applause.)  And growing up, let me tell you what I saw.  I saw how my parents saved and sacrificed, how they poured everything they had into me and my brother.  They held us to the same high standard of excellence because they wanted us both to have the kind of education they could only dream of. 

Education was everything in my family -- everything.  It was our ticket to the middle class.  It was our pathway to the American Dream.  (Applause.)  So my mom spent hours volunteering in our neighborhood public school, and she made sure we got -- handled our business, that we finished our homework every single night -- young people, every single night.  (Applause.)

And my parents did everything in their power to support my college education.  And while pretty much all of my tuition came from student loans and grants -- a very large portion -- my dad still paid a tiny portion of that tuition himself.  And let me tell you, every semester, my father was determined to pay that bill and to pay it on time.  He was so proud to be able to play a part in sending his kids to college, and he did all he could with his limited resources to lessen our financial burden by ensuring that neither me, nor my brother ever missed a registration deadline because his check was late.

And more than anything else, that is what is at stake.  That’s why we’re here.  It’s that fundamental promise that no matter who you are or how you started out, if you work hard, you can build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.  (Applause.)  That is the American Dream that we’re working for. 

And let me tell you, from now until November, we’re going to need all of you all out there.  (Applause.)  We’re going to need you out there.  We’re going to need you to tell everyone you know about how Barack is on our side and fighting for the values we believe in and fighting for the vision we all share.  You’ve got to tell them.

And I want you to start with the economy.  I want you to tell folks how Barack is fighting for working families, starting with tax cuts so folks can keep more money in their pockets so that they can have the income to pay for things like gas and groceries and school clothes for their kids.  I want you to tell them.  (Applause.) 

Remind people that Barack cut taxes for small businesses 18 times.  (Applause.)  Because he knows that rebuilding our economy starts with folks who are running the restaurants and the shops and the companies that create the jobs that we all need. 

And be sure to remind them of this:  Back when Barack first took office, this economy was losing an average of 750,000 jobs every single month.  That’s what he inherited.  But also let them know that for the past, now, 28 straight months, we’ve actually been gaining private sector jobs -– a total of more than 4 million jobs.  Let them know.  (Applause.) 

So while we definitely have a long way to go to rebuild our economy, we have more work to do, but let people know today millions of people are collecting a paycheck again; millions of people like my dad are able to pay their bills again.  (Applause.) 

And when it comes to health care, we need you to tell folks -- (applause) -- let them know that because of the reform that my husband passed, the people we love will no longer have to skip important health screenings because they can’t afford it.  Instead, insurance companies will have to cover basic, preventative care -- things like contraception, cancer screenings, prenatal cost, at no extra cost.  Because of this reform, millions of our seniors have saved hundreds of dollars on their prescription drugs.  And our young people can now stay on their parent’s insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)  We can all feel that one.  And that is how 6.6 million of our young people in this country are getting the health care they need. 

AUDIENCE:  We love you, Michelle!

MRS. OBAMA:  And when it comes to education -- I’m not done yet, right?  There’s more.  (Applause.)  I want you to tell people that Barack knows what it’s like to be drowning in student debt.  Make sure they understand -- back when he and I first started out, we just got married, we’re starting to build a life together --

AUDIENCE:  We love you!

MRS. OBAMA:  Oh, man, thank you.  (Laughter.)

But let me tell you, back then, our combined student loan bill was actually higher than our mortgage.  How many people can relate to that one?  But that’s exactly why Barack has fought so hard to prevent student loan interest rates from increasing.  And that’s why he has doubled Pell grants, helping 4 million more students afford the education they need for the jobs of the future.

And when it comes to tapping into the promise of our young people, I want you to tell them how Barack has been fighting for the DREAM Act.  (Applause.)  Because he knows and believes that it is time to stop denying responsible young people opportunities in this country because they’re the children of undocumented immigrants.  It’s time to stop that.  (Applause.)  And you can also tell them how he has lifted the shadow of deportation so that -- for so many young people who came here as children, were raised as Americans, and have so much to contribute to our country.  It’s important that they understand.  (Applause.) 

And when it comes to keeping our country safe, I want you to remind people that Barack kept his promise to bring our troops home from Iraq.  (Applause.)  And he’s working hard to make sure that they get the benefits and the support that they’ve earned.  And today our troops no longer have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.

When it comes to supporting women and families, I want you to tell people how Barack fought to make it easier for women to get equal pay for equal work because of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- (applause) -- that was the very first bill he signed into law.  But I think it’s also important for people to understand why he signed this bill.  He signed this bill because he knows that when so many women are now breadwinners for our families, truly women’s success in this economy is the key to families’ success in this economy.  (Applause.) 

And I also want you to let people know that, when it comes to the Supreme Court, don’t forget to tell people about those two brilliant Supreme Court justices Barack appointed -- Elena Kagan and Justice Sonia Sotomayor -– (applause) -- and how, for the first time in history, our daughters and our sons watched three women take their seat on our nation’s highest court.  Let them know.  (Applause.)

I could go on and on and on.  But I know you all are standing, and I see some people -- some people sitting down.  But what’s important for you all to understand is that all of that and so much more, all of it is at stake this November.  It is all on the line.  There is no question about it.  It is all on the line.  And in the end, it all boils down to one simple question:  Are we going to continue the change we’ve begun, the progress we’ve made?  (Applause.)  Or are we going to let everything we’ve fought for to just slip away? 

AUDIENCE:  No!

MRS. OBAMA:  No, we know what we need to do.  We cannot turn back now.  We need to keep moving forward.  (Applause.)  We need to keep moving forward.  (Applause.)

And more than anything else, that is what we’re working for.  That’s what we’re fighting for -- the chance to finish what we started, the chance to keep fighting for the values we believe in and the vision that we all share.  That’s what my husband has been doing every single day as President. (Applause.) 

And let me just share something with you -- I have had the privilege of seeing as First Lady over the last three and a half years, I’ve had the chance to see up close and personal what being President really looks like.  I’ve seen it.  I have seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard ones –- the problems with no easy solutions, the judgment calls where the stakes are so high and the margin for error so, so small.  And I have seen how as President, you are going to get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people, but at the end of the day, let me tell you, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, all you have to guide you are your life experiences.  All you have to direct you are your values, your vision for this country.  And in the end, it all boils down to who you are and what you stand for.  (Applause.)

And we all know who my husband is, don’t we?  (Applause.)  We all know what Barack Obama stands for, don’t we?  (Applause.)  Barack Obama is the son of a single mother who struggled to put herself through school and pay the bills.  Barack is the grandson of a woman who woke up before dawn every day to catch a bus to her job at the bank.  And even though Barack’s grandmother was good at her job and helped support her family, like so many women, she hit that glass ceiling, and watched men no more qualified than she -- men she had actually trained -- be promoted up the ladder ahead of her.  But she didn’t complain.  Like so many people we know in our lives, she just kept getting up and giving her best every single day to help support her family.  (Applause.)

So let me -- just understand that your President, Barack Obama knows what it means when a family struggles.  This is not a hypothetical situation for him.  He knows what it means to work hard because you want something better for your kids and your grandkids.  And like me, and like so many of you, he knows the American Dream because he’s lived it.  (Applause.)  And Barack wants everyone who is willing to work to have the same opportunity.  (Applause.)

So when there’s a choice about our children’s futures -- about investing in their schools and helping them attend college without a mountain of debt, you know where Barack stands.  (Applause.)

When it comes time to stand up for our workers and our families, so folks can make a decent wage, save for retirement, see a doctor when they’re sick, you know what my husband is going to do.  (Applause.) 

When we need a President to protect our most basic rights  -- no matter who we love, or where we’re from, or what race or  gender we are -- you know you can count on Barack Obama, because that’s what he’s been doing every single day as President of the United States.  (Applause.)  Every single day, that’s what your President has been doing for you.  (Applause.)

But I have said this before, and I’m going to say it again and again and again:  He cannot do this alone.  (Applause.)  Did you hear me?  He cannot do this alone.  Because as Barack has said, this election will be even closer than the last one.  That you can count on.  So he needs your help.  He needs you to do what you do best.  (Applause.)  Keep making those calls.  He needs you to keep knocking on those doors, keep registering those voters.  You know the ones that aren’t registered, right?  Find them, shake them up.  They’re in your dorm rooms, they’re in your church -- find them. 

And even more importantly, he needs you to multiply yourselves.  Multiply yourselves -- reach out to everyone you know -- your friends, your family, your neighbors -- tell them to go to the barackobama.com, so they can find out how they can get involved, how they can help.   

And if you have any doubt about the difference you can make, one of the reasons why we focus so hard on our grassroots efforts -- I just want you to remember that in the end, this could all come down to those last few thousand people we register to vote.  Think about that.  This election could come down to those last few thousand folks we get to the polls on November the 6th.  And when you think about those kind of numbers, and what they mean when they’re spread out across an entire state -- I mean, just think about it.  It might mean registering just one more person in your town, in your community, right?  One more person.  It could mean helping just one more person get out and vote on Election Day.  One more person.

So I just want you to think, with every door you knock on, with every event you host, with every single conversation you have, I want you to keep in the back of your mind, I want you to say, this could be the one.  I want you to say it:  This could be the one.

AUDIENCE:  This could be the one!

MRS. OBAMA:  Because that is the kind of difference, that’s the impact that each of us can have.  That’s why you all are so important.  That is why you all are so important. 

And I’m not going to kid you, this journey is going to be long.  It is going to be hard.  You hear me?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  And there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way.  But I want you to remember, that is how change always happens in this country.  (Applause.)  Real change takes time, but we also have to know that if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight, then we eventually get there.  We always do.  We keep moving forward.  Applause.)  Maybe not in our lifetimes, though, but maybe in our children’s lifetimes.   Maybe in our grandchildren’s lifetimes. 

Because in the end, that’s what this is all about.  That is what this is all about.  It is not about us, it is about them.  And let me tell you, that is what I think about every night when I put my girls to bed.  Every night, I think about the world that I want to leave for them, and for all of our sons and daughters.  I think about how I want to do for them what my mom and dad did for me.  So many people sacrificed for us.  I want to give them a foundation for their dreams.  I want to give them opportunities worthy of their promise, because all our kids are worthy.  I want to give our children that sense of limitless possibility, you know?  That belief that here in America, there is always something better out there if you’re willing to work for it.  (Applause.)

So we cannot turn back now.  No, not now.  We have come so far, but we have so much more work to do.  So I have one final  question:  Are you all in?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Wait, wait, wait -- are you in?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  I mean, are you roll-up-your-sleeves in?  (Applause.)  Are you knocking-on-every-door in?  Are you registering-every-voter kind of in?  Are you ready to do the work?  (Applause.)  Because I’m so in.  Can you tell how in I am?  I am so fired up.  And we need each and every one of you to stay fired up.  We don’t have a long time at this, right?  We need you to be focused and fired up.  I am so ready to go.  I can’t wait to see you all out there so that we can keep fighting for the values we believe.
 
Thank you all so much.  God bless.  (Applause.)

END
6:24 P.M. EDT