Asked and answered: five-year-old tells President Obama she can’t wait to visit the Obama Presidential Center

In keeping with President Obama’s longstanding tradition (Opens in a new tab) of reading and responding to letters from the American people, we’re excited to share an adorable letter he received from five-year-old Pennsylvanian Cori Ryan.

Cori wrote to President Obama to share her love for reading and her excitement that the Obama Presidential Center will open in Chicago in the future.

Take a look at Cori’s letter to President Obama and his response.

Dear President Obama,

My name is Cori Ryan. I am a five-year-old girl who likes to read. I just read your book “Of thee I sing” and “Who is Barack Obama”? I really like reading about you and Dr. Martin Luther King.

My family went to Atlanta last month to see the King Center. My mom told me that the Obama Presidential library will open soon. I can’t wait to visit. I would love to meet you there!

Thank you,

Cori Ryan

Read President Obama’s response:

Dear Cori,

Thanks for taking the time to tell me about all the books you’ve been reading lately—I deeply admire Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and read a lot about him, too.

Your mom is right that the Obama Presidential Center will open in the future in Chicago. When it does, it’ll be a place where bright kids like you can come have some fun making friends at the outdoor playground in the summer or on the sledding hill in the winter. You’ll also be able to grow fruits and vegetables at the community garden, make music in the recording studio, shoot hoops at the athletic center, or gather with your family on the lawn for picnics and concerts. There will be a museum where you can learn more about the paths Michelle and I took, and a library where you can read more books about Dr. King.

But most importantly, the Center will be a place where you can hear the stories of people who have come together throughout history to change the world for the better, and—hopefully—learn how you can do it, too.

Thanks again for the kind note. It’s clear you care a lot about the world around you, and Michelle and I can’t wait to see what you accomplish in the years to come.

Dream big dreams!

Your friend,

Barack Obama

As President Obama said, the Center will be a place to honor the stories of those who’ve brought us to where we are today—and bring people together to chart an even brighter future. You can learn more about the Obama Presidential Center and pitch in to bring it to life here!

If you'd like to send us a note about our work and the Obama Presidential Center, you can get started here. We're eager to hear from you!