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Liza Zaruba, a woman with a light skin tone and long blonde hair, stands in between country flags outside of the United Nations. She rests her hands on her hips and is wearing a white blouse and yellow pants.
  • Health & Wellbeing
  • Education
Obama-Chesky Voyager travels from Togo to Geneva to make a difference in health care

Explore Liza Zaruba's Summer Voyage, and learn how she plans to apply her new health care skills back in Chicago

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  • MBK Alliance
  • Programs
MBK Tulsa, the journey to impact

ImpactTulsa has fostered a network of partners in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who are specifically focused on impacting the systems that affect BYMOC.

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MBK NEWARK: “NEWARK YOUTH OPPORTUNITY NETWORK, THE JOURNEY TO IMPACT”
  • MBK Alliance
  • Programs
MBK Newark, the journey to impact
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  • MBK Alliance
  • Programs
MBK Yonkers, the journey to impact

MBK Yonkers received recognition as an MBK Model Community in 2023 for demonstrating population-level impact in Milestone 3, achieving a graduation rate of 91% by 2021.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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An image of Michelle Obama embracing her mother Marian Robinson. Both women have a medium deep complexion and straight dark hair that hits their shoulders. They are both wearing white.
  • In memoriam
  • Donate
Celebrating the legacy of Marian Robinson

Honoring the legacy of our “First Mother-in-Law”

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

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

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On a clear blue-sky day, President Obama stands in a hard hat and a brightly colored safety vest at the Obama Presidential construction site and signs a beam. A large group of construction workers with various skin tones also wearing safety clothing surround him.
  • Building the Center
  • Chicago
Construction update June 2024: President Obama marks the completion of the Museum Building

The Museum Building at the Obama Presidential Center has reached its final height of 225 feet.

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Dr. Edwin Quezada, a man with a medium skin tone points as he speaks to an audience. He is wearing glasses and a powder blue suit.
  • Community Engagement
  • Education
MBK Yonkers leads the way in graduation rate for students of color

Hear directly from one of the My Brother’s Keeper Model Communities on how they achieved a 91 percent graduation rate for students of color.

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  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Community Engagement
The Girls Opportunity Alliance supports Chicago organization mentoring Black girls

Discover how Ladies of Virtue is transforming lives through mentorship and leadership

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

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

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The image is a combination of the headshots of Jessica Teal, Laura Olin, and Jeron Smith. From [L to R]: The first person is Jessica Teal: she has pale skin, blonde hair, blue eyes, and is wearing a red short-sleeved shirt. She is smiling at the camera. The second person is Jeron Smith: he has brown skin, closely cut black hair, and a mustache. He is wearing a dark blazer with a white t-shirt underneath. In the background of Jeron's headshot is an industrial set with orange lighting and tall metal beams. The third person is Laura Olin: she has pale skin, blue eyes, and blond hair that hits her shoulders. She is wearing a blue and white shirt and smiling at the camera. Behind Laura are green trees.
  • Presidential History
  • The Arts
Meet three alumni who helped shape the Obama brand

Meet the minds behind the design, voice, and digital strategy for the Obama campaign and White House.

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A low angle shot shows workers on an orange basket lift affixing a panel of “Tapestry” stone to the lower west face of the Museum Building. A cloudy sunny sky is in the background.
  • Building the Center
  • Chicago
Construction update May 2024: The Obama Presidential Center takes shape

Check out the latest construction update at the Obama Presidential Center.

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A group of high school students with a range of light to deep skin tones pose around Gallerist Easy Otabo and artist Michael C. Thorpe. In the background, a monitor displays the Obama Foundation rising sun logo and reads, “Obama Foundation.”
  • Youth
  • The Arts
Chicago high school students meet artists on Obama Foundation Futures Series field trip

See how the students explored expression and possibilities at EXPO Chicago.

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Michelle Obama addresses the Global Summit on Women's Empowerment in Dubai. Michelle Obama is sitting at a long table surrounded by three other women. The women are speaking to one and other and smiling.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Programs
In the News: The Girls Opportunity Alliance

Learn more about how the Girls Opportunity Alliance is working to empower and educate girls around the world

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President Obama is smiling wearing sunglasses, a white hardhat with the Obama Foundation rising sun logo, gloves, and a bright orange safety vest over a long dress coat. He is holding a cup of coffee and standing next to a white woman wearing a neon yellow construction coat, hard hat, and goggles. They are walking in front of three other people with a range of light to deep skin tones wearing orange safety vests and white hard hats. They are all walking in an unfinished building with scaffolding in the background.
  • Building the Center
  • Chicago
December 8th 2023 – construction update

See the latest photos and stay up-to-date on the building process.

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President Obama sits at a desk signing the Affordable Care Act, surrounded by a group of politicians, then Vice President Joe Biden, and a young boy.
  • Watch
  • Presidential History
A look back at 14 years of the Affordable Care Act

Hear from President Obama as he reflects on this milestone moment.

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President Obama and then Vice President Joe Biden clap as they stand at a conference table. In the background, people with a range of light skin tones clap and cheer. All are dressed professionally.
  • Presidential History
  • Health & Wellbeing
Oral histories offer reflections on the Affordable Care Act

Personal stories released that highlight the legacy and impact of the ACA

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The image is a combined photo of five women. The first is Clarissa Kornell: she has long curly dark hair, a light olive complexion and is wearing a dark pink shirt with a light pink scarf. Clarissa is smiling in the picture. The second woman is Sabra Townsend: she has shoulder length locs that are curled. Sabra has a medium brown skinned complexion and is wearing a dark blue blazer with an orange shirt underneath. Sabra is smiling in the picture. The third woman is Juliet Choi: she has dark hair cut into a shoulder-length bob and she has an olive complexion. Juliet is wearing black glasses, a brown necklace, and a short sleeved blue blouse. Juliet is smiling in the picture. The fourth woman is Alefiyah Mesiwala. Alefiyah has long black hair, dark olive skin and hazel eyes. Alefiyah is wearing a dark blue scarf and a black shirt and smiling in the picture. The fifth woman is Jamie Lockhart: Jamie has long dark brown hair and pale skin. Jamie is wearing a pink blazer and a black shirt underneath. Jamie is also wearing a small diamond necklace and smiling in the picture.
  • Health & Wellbeing
  • Alumni
Meet five women making their mark in health care

Meet five women carrying forward the legacy of the Affordable Care Act in their communities

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A rendering of the outside front of Home Court from Stony Island Avenue. It is daylight in the picture. Home Court at the Obama Presidential Center is a large silver and glass building, with large rectangular windows covering the majority of the front of the building and two large inverted silver triangles of metal cladding interrupting the glass on the side. In front of the building are green shrubs and trees planted along a pedestrian walkway. To the left of the building is a large patch of grass surrounded by a pedestrian walkway. To the right of the building are tall green trees. On the pedestrian pathways are several people walking, standing, and sitting. There is a bicycle rack on the pedestrian walkway.
  • First Look
  • Building the Center
NBA-size courts, gymnasium and community space to open in 2025

See the plans for the 45,000-square-foot multipurpose athletic and events facility coming to the Obama Presidential Center.

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Two women and one man pose for a photo. One woman has medium-deep skin tone, and the other two people have deep skin. Two of them wear shirts with the words "Afroclimate.com." They sit on a rock wall in front of dirt and greenery.
  • Changemakers
  • Sustainability
Obama leaders team up to address climate injustice in Africa

Find out how the 2023 cohort created a non-profit committed to a sustainable future for Africa, one entrepreneur at a time.

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There are three women on the right side of the image and three women on the left side of the image. In the center of the image, Michelle Obama is hugging a woman and facing the camera. Michelle Obama has curly hair and is wearing several rings. The woman she is hugging is facing opposite the camera – we cannot see her face – she has short curly hair and is wearing a beige sweater and black pants. In the background, several women with a range of light to deep skin tones and ages speak to one another. On the wall of the room is a poster that reads, “Girls Opportunity Alliance.” The poster has a border with short perpendicular lines in pink and light blue with a dark blue background.
  • Girls Opportunity Alliance
  • Equality
Five women we’re celebrating for International Women’s Day

Meet five women making a difference with the help of the Girls Opportunity Alliance

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President Obama tilts his head upwards along with out-of-focus onlookers. A digital screen shows something out of focus behind him.
  • Watch
  • Building the Center
See President Obama’s reaction to the museum’s newest (and largest!) exhibit

Get a sneak peek at a four-story digital wall that will celebrate the “Power of Words” and pay homage to the first digital President.

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Kori Coleman, a Black woman with a deep skin tone, stands in the middle of a four person string quartet. They are a range of medium to deep skin tones and are holding a viola, violin, and cello. All are wearing shades of brown. Credit: Seed Lynn
  • The Arts
  • Leaders
Obama leader amplifies the music of Black composers

Ahead of her debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, hear how one Obama Leader leverages the power of music to educate, entertain, and heal her community.

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On the South Lawn, President Obama walks in the middle of a group of young men. All have a range of light to deep skin tones. They are wearing a mix of casual and professional attire.
  • Watch
  • MBK Alliance
Meet two men whose lives were changed by My Brother’s Keeper

Get to know two young men carrying forward the legacy of MBK

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President Obama stands in the middle of young leaders at MBK Rising! All men are dressed professionally and have a range of light to deep skin tones.
  • Youth
  • MBK Alliance
My Brother’s Keeper Alliance celebrates 10 years of making a difference for Black youth

Take a look back at some of the program's most inspiring moments.

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Michelle Obama sits in a circle with women with a range of light to deep skin tones and Michael Strautmanis. Mrs. Obama is wearing a multicolored dress and sits with her legs crossed. A sign in the background reads, “Obama Leadership Network.”
  • Leaders
  • Michelle Obama
Leaders alumni and Mrs. Obama reconnect in Africa

We marked the fifth anniversary of the Leaders program where it all began.

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Representative John Lewis and President Barack Obama are sitting in a room together laughing in the middle of a conversation. Representative Lewis is sitting on a couch on the left-hand side of the image with his hands placed on his left knee. He is an older, brown-skinned man with a bald head. He is wearing a blue suit, with a white button-down shirt, and a blue tie. The couch Rep. Lewis is sitting on, is the color brown. President Obama is sitting on the right side of the image in a beige chair. He is wearing a black suit with a blue button-down shirt. His arms are placed on the side of the chair. In the room of the image is a beige coffee table with a large blue book on top of it. On the front of the book is the number, “44.” The room has beige walls with pictures on the left side. On the wall are three pictures: the largest picture features a blue background and the figure of a man’s arms and head; the second largest picture is an image of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking during the March on Washington; the smallest picture is indistinguishable. In the room there is a small brown side table that sits between Rep. John Lewis and President Barack Obama. On the side table is a table lamp with a white lamp shade and two framed pictures.
  • Presidential History
  • Changemakers
Celebrating the enduring legacy of John Lewis and his work with the Obama Foundation

Learn about the work of civil rights icon John Lewis and his influence on President Obama and the Obama Foundation.

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President and Mrs. Obama are standing close to one another–President Obama is leaning in and Mrs. Obama is smiling with her hands clasped in front of each other– in a carpeted room with large pieces of artwork on the walls and a flag with the United States seal. Text overlay reads “You’re the Barack to my Michelle” and a pink border surrounds the whole image.
  • Obama Picks
  • Barack Obama
Obama-themed valentines to share with your love

Celebrate your Valentine today with one of our downloadable cards!

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  • Youth
  • MBK Alliance
Celebrate Black History Month with our reading list for young leaders

The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance released a Black History Month reading list for young leaders

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  • Youth
  • Voyagers
Get to know the 2023–2025 Voyagers cohort

Meet recipients of the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service or learn how you can apply to be in the next cohort!

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Daniel Fairley II, a Black man with a light skin tone smiles at the camera. He has short black hair and glasses. He is wearing a light purple blazer and a dark purple hoodie.
  • Alumni
  • Leaders
How a former White House intern and Obama Leader is making a difference today

Meet an Obama Leader supporting Virginians in need.

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