Event stories

• Defending Democracy
• Virtual Event

A 5-step guide to embracing pluralism, fostering connection, and engaging inclusively this holiday season.

• Scholars
• Changemakers

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

• Programs
• The Arts

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

• Programs
• The Arts

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

• Equality
• Defending Democracy

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

• Defending Democracy
• Barack Obama

Learn how you can help foster global democracy and civic engagement.

• Defending Democracy
• The Obama Administration

Meet two Obama Alumni working to carry progress forward.

• Defending Democracy
• Chicago

Check out the highlights!

• Leaders
• Watch

Get a look inside the week-long leadership and cultural experience.

• Sustainability
• Chicago

Hundreds clean South Side parks and beaches

• MBK Alliance
• Youth

MBK Rising! brought together the growing network of MBK Communities, cross-sector leaders, and young men of color and the organizations working hard to help them achieve their dreams. See the highlights

• Barack Obama
• Defending Democracy

• Defending Democracy
• Equality

Watch highlights from the first-ever Democracy Forum held in New York City.

• Futures Series
• Youth

The Obama Foundation Futures Series exposes high school students to a variety of career pathways through intimate conversations with accomplished leaders about their experiences.

• Scholars
• Barack Obama

President Obama joined with University of Chicago Scholars for a thoughtful conversation about their work and the issues that are impacting their work. He later dropped in to Hyde Park Academy on the South Side of Chicago for a Futures Series conversation!

• Leaders
• Europe

To mark the end of our inaugural Leaders Europe program, our 35 Leaders came together to design collaborative projects to support the civic engagement of other emerging leaders across Europe.

• Girls Opportunity Alliance
• Michelle Obama

See how Mrs. Obama is encouraging members of the Girls Opportunity Alliance Network to continue their critical work to ensure every girl gets the education she deserves during the COVID-pandemic, then watch her inspiring remarks from this year's Girl Up Le

• MBK Alliance
• Youth

• MBK Alliance
• Chicago

We were excited to bring MBK Chicago and our Chicago Impact and Seed Partners to the 2020 NBA All-Star festivities in Chicago.

• Barack Obama
• Chicago

With NBA All-Star weekend coming back to Chicago, you could be sure President Obama wouldn't miss it.

• MBK Alliance
• Youth

MBK Atlanta Relaunches Under Mayor Bottoms’ Leadership

• MBK Alliance
• The Arts

• Michelle Obama
• Watch

At the 2019 Obama Foundation Summit, First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage with her brother Craig Robsinson to talk about their childhood in Chicago and how it shaped who they are—and to reflect on photos from earlier days.

• Michelle Obama
• Your Voice

Read this article to find out the 2019 Obama Foundation summit theme. Mrs. Obama shares her excitement for this year's summit and reveals a place that gives her purpose.

• Leaders
• Watch

It’s been a busy week for us at the Foundation! On Tuesday, we hosted a roundtable conversation in Bogotá with President Obama and a small group of Colombian changemakers who are working tirelessly to transform their communities.

• Leaders
• Watch

From Cali to Quibdó, Medellín to María la Baja, the 11 emerging leaders President Obama met with yesterday in Bogotá are carrying forward the hard work of change across Colombia.

• Youth
• Education

The Obama Foundation joined Chicago Public Schools to launch our first-ever Civic Action Recognition Awards, honoring the students, educators, and community partners who are making a powerful impact in our community through civic engagement.

• Global Reach
• Changemakers

When President Obama sat down with eleven emerging leaders from across Brazil for a conversation about their work in the fall of 2017, he was eager to learn more about their work

• Watch
• Barack Obama

Learn how we're celebrating the centenary of Nelson Mandela's birth and hear from Leaders: Africa participant Lesley Williams on the legacy and work Madiba has left for all of us to carry forward.

• Global Reach
• Leaders

President Obama joined hundreds of emerging European leaders in Germany for a town hall conversation to discuss the future of Europe and the importance of leadership in creating lasting change in the region and beyond.

• Leaders
• Asia-Pacific

Get to know the 21 leaders from 16 countries and territories across the Asia Pacific who are helping us design future programming in the region.

• Watch
• Virtual Event

The 2018 obama foundation summit has concluded. Thanks for tuning in!

• Stories
• Chicago

In this opening session, hear from speakers like Janelle Monáe, Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, Cubs President Theo Epstein, and Obama Foundation program participants who are bound together by a shared hope

• MBK Alliance
• Watch

After an incredibly powerful and thought-provoking Town Hall conversation with Common, , MBKA advisory council chair, Broderick Johnson, and executive director of MBK Alliance, Michael Smith, sent the note below to everyone who tuned in

• Watch
• Barack Obama

Watch President Obama share his vision for the Obama Presidential Center during a surprise visit with supporters and stakeholders—a vision for a public space that will honor history, help revitalize the South Side, and connect people throughout the communi

• Newsletter
• Community Engagement

As the 200 emerging African leaders we brought together as part of our Leaders: Africa convening to exchange ideas on how to create positive change in their communities carried out a service project to celebrate Mandela Day, we did the same right here in C