Three Obama alumni use art to empower change

Explore the world of three Obama alumni harnessing the power of art to inspire action in their communities

The image is an in motion picture of a person break dancing on the street. The image is outside on a city street. In the background is a brick wall with a signs on it. In the picture are several people, surrounding the breakdancer, as they dance on the street. The breakdancer, who is in the center of the picture, is standing on one hand with their feet in the air. The dancer has on a orange, pink, yellow, and white sleeveless crop top, blue jeans, and grey sneakers. Around the picture are bubbles throughout the air.

From the campaign trail to the upcoming Obama Presidential Center, art has played an important role in the legacy of the Obamas. As global leaders, President and Mrs. Obama have used creative mediums to inspire and encourage people to engage more critically in our democracy. 

As they traveled this path, hundreds of innovative minds joined their teams, helping build bridges between the artistic and the political. Today, many of those alumni have continued to work in artistic fields, using their creativity to provoke change and invite people to consider their place in the world. We recently spoke to three of these alumni; explore their stories and work below.

Gregg Ross (he/him/his)

Formerly: Field Organizer, Obama for America 2008; Regional Field Director, Obama for America 2012; NC State Organizer for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, 2013; Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2015-2016

Currently: Press Officer for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, freelance photographer, poet

“ We need art to depict the specific details of the lived experiences outside of our own, to convey and transfer all that human emotion in order to reveal the universal in the foreign -- to show how alike we are through the differences.”

–Gregg Ross
An image of a woman in a public laundromat. The women has a medium deep complexion and red locs and hang to her shoulders. The red locs at the top of her head are rolled in soda cans. Across her eyes is a painted pride flag. She also has dangling diamond earrings. She is wearing a black fur coat that is hanging off of her shoulders and a bra top and skirt made of newspaper clippings. In her hands she is holding a hand held mirror and a lip gloss wand. Behind her are a set of industrial washing machines. Next to her is a blue laundry folding station. On top of the blue station is a blue Iphone.

Fashion photo shoot with model and dental student in a laundromat in Humboldt Park, Chicago, IL, courtesy of Gregg Ross

1/5

The image is a photo of several men on a street outside. Behind the men is a brown stone building. To the left of the men is an abstract statue. There are several men standing in a circle in the foreground of the image. In the front of the image are two men. The first man is standing in a position to symbolize throwing a basketball shot. He has a light deep medium complexion, a large black afro and is wearing a green and beige lettermans jacket, a grey shirt, and grey sweatpants. The second man has a medium deep complexion, a goatee, and cornrows in his hair. He is wearing a black hoodie, a grey shirt, cut off black pants cut to the calf, and black combat boots. He has a fanny pack sitting on his neck. In front of the men are several backpacks sitting on the ground.

Young rappers freestyling in Astor Place, New York, NY, courtesy of Gregg Ross

2/5

The image is of the feet of two people in front of a steel fence. The first person has on orange pants and white loafers. The second person is sitting on a chair: he has blue jeans on. One of the legs of his jeans is pulled up, revealing a prosthetic leg that is design with the Puerto Rican flag. On the ground between the two people is a Corona beer.

Celebrants at the Puerto Rican Parade in Humboldt Park, Chicago, IL, courtesy of Gregg Ross

3/5

The image is a photo of two people close together in the middle of an embrace staring at each other. The photo is a closeup in black and white. The first person has short close cut hair and a goatee. The second person has short dark curly hair, a dark mustache, and a bandana tied around their neck.

A couple at Chicago Pride Fest, courtesy of Gregg Ross

4/5

The image is of two people sitting on the steps of an building, laughing and eating a bowl of noodles. The first person is a young woman: she has a light olive complexion and long wavy dark hair with dark sunglasses sitting on top of her head. She is wearing a grey tank top, blue denim shorts, and black and white Nike Air Force sneakers. In her left hand she is holding a purple makeup pouch, in her right hand she is holding a pair of chop sticks over the bowl of noodles. The second person in the picture is a man. He has an olive complexion and long dark braids. He is wearing glasses, a baseball jersey, black track shorts, and grey, white, and black Nike air force sneakers. He is eating from the bowl of noodles with his right hand and holding the bowl of noodles with his left hand. On his left hand is a tattoo and on his left wrist is a red watch. In between his legs, on the steps, is a plastic cup with a beverage inside. To his left, on the steps, are several shopping bags.

A couple shares noodles on a stoop in Chicago, IL, courtesy of Gregg Ross

5/5

How you got started with the Obamas

“I was living in New York City in the fall of 2007 when I first saw then-Senator Barack Obama deliver a speech in Washington Square Park. After the speech, I noticed a number of young people holding clipboards, asking the rally attendees to sign a petition to get the senator on the ballot for president. To me, watching them work the crowd was like watching organizers from the social justice movements of the sixties, and I decided I wanted to join them. What drew me to volunteering for the Obama campaign was the belief that there was a candidate who was organizing a new movement around him which could actually be effective at ending the war and advancing other social justice causes…By 2007, I was feeling rather disillusioned about the antiwar movement’s ability to affect any change and the overall efficacy of political activism in general. But here, with the early Obama campaign, it seemed a wholly new and truly transformative movement was emerging, being built by my own generation, no less! – a movement that could actually succeed! I was not going to sit it out; I had to get involved.”

The image is a group of people in New York City sitting on the street, at a table, playing dominos. It is daylight outside. Behind the table is a storefront, a "bodega." At the table are four men and two women. All of the people at the table look to be elderly. From left to right: The first man has an olive complexion and is wearing a grey baseball hat and a grey shirt. He is holding onto to a row of dominoes in his hands. The second man has a olive complexion and is wearing a Yankees baseball cap and a blue shirt. He is staring at the table. The third man has a deep olive complexion and, a balding head with gray hair, and is wearing a blue shirt. He is pointing to the dominos table. The four man is sitting in a chair off to the side. He has an olive complexion, short grey hair, a grey goatee, and is wearing a sleeveless brown shirt with a black pocket on the left side of his chest. The fourth person is a women. She has a light deep complexion, long grey hair pulled back into a bun, and is wearing a blue denim jacket and a grey shirt. She is holding onto a row of dominos with both hands. The fifth person in the image is a woman. We cannot see her face, but we can see that she has long blond hair.

Photo by Gregg Ross (@InkHarvest): Neighbors playing dominoes in Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY, courtesy of Gregg Ross

The importance of art in our democracy

“Without art, we cannot fully understand the experiences of others, which means we cannot fully understand ourselves, which means we are at a loss as to how to function together as a society. Art is the great equalizer of people, the way to find commonality.” 

“ Art is a great equalizer of the people, the way we find commonality.”

–Gregg Ross
Your advice for those who want to follow your path

 “My advice is simple: never sacrifice your values for comfort; wager everything on the line for the type of life you want to live and the world you want to see—and then keep doing that all your days.”

The image is a photo of Gregg Ross laying on a geographical map that is has varying stages of light on it. These various stages of light are meant to symbolize population density. Gregg has pale skin, a dark colored goatee, and long dark hair that is pulled into a bun. He is wearing a black shirt with a brown design on it and black pants. He is holding a camera.

An image of Gregg Ross

Kolbie Blume (she/they)

Formerly: Constituent Letters and Writing Team, White House, 2014 - 2017 

Currently: Artist, Author, and Online Educator  

“ Creativity gives us the magical power of ‘and.’ I can be sensitive AND strong. I can be accountable AND empathetic. I can be a mess AND beautiful. I can be qualified AND still have more to learn.”

–Kolbie Blume
The image is a candid shot of Kolbie Blume shaking hands with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. The Oval Office has striped tan colored walls and a white bookcase that has a series of red books, blue and gold books, vases, and statues on it. In font of the bookcase is a wooden chair. To the left of the bookcase is a brown wooden desk with a bronze statue sitting on top of it. On the wall is a watercolor painting held in a gold frame. In the photo Kolbie is smiling at President Obama. They have pale skin and light colored hair that falls to their ears. They are wearing a white long sleeved blouse and a blue and white patterned skirt. President Obama has a light medium deep skin complexion and black and grey hair. He is wearing a dark blue suit with a white collared shirt underneath.

Kolbie meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office

A photo of Kolbie Blume posing on a balcony with the Washington Monument in the distance. The sun is setting in the picture and the streets of Capitol Hill, Washington DC are in the background. Kolbie is standing on the balcony of a stone building with several windows. Kolbie has a pale complexion and light hair that falls to her ears. They are wearing a black shirt, with silver sparkles along it, and a white collar.

Kolbie posing for a picture in front of the Washington Monument

How you got started with the Obamas

“I interned in the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence (OPC) from January to May 2014, on the writing team, and I was lucky enough to be asked to interview for a full-time staff position. I joined OPC as a staff member in September 2014, originally in the Gift Office, where I handled priority gifts and custom gift thank-you letters. From there, I moved to the writing team, where I managed the custom responses for the 10-Letters-a-Day portfolio.” 

The importance of art in our society

“So many people don't pick up a paintbrush because they believe to their core they're not qualified or ‘good enough’ in large part because we've all been taught through many different sources that the purpose of life is proving your value. But what if our value as humans didn't have to be proven? What if curiosity and courage, rather than output and performative achievements, were the most important metrics for meaning?”

An image of a watercolor painting created by Kolbie Blume. The picture is blue and white with dots of red, pink, yellow, and blue. The picture also has painted raindrops on it. Next to the painting are to paint tubes, and three paint brushes.

An image of a watercolor painted by Kolbie Blume

Kolbie Blume is sitting in a chair holding a book and smiling at the camera. Behind them is a light colored wall with more than ten different watercolor paintings handing on the wall. Kolbie has a pale complexion and light colored hair. They are wearing silver round glasses, a grey baseball cap, a white t-shirt, and blue pants. In Kolbie's hand is a book with the words, "Mastering Light in Watercolor, Kolbie Blume." The cover of the book has a canvas and several art tools.

An image of Kolbie holding up their book, “Mastering Light in Watercolor”

Your advice for those who want to follow your path

“The biggest mistake anyone can make on their journey to their dreams is to give up too early because they believe they're just not good enough or not "qualified." What they don't know is that the only way to get ‘qualified’ is to keep doing it messy -- because those lessons are what will lead to their biggest breakthroughs.”

A video created by Kolbie on mental health and painting entitled, “Easy Abstract Landscapes”

Myesha Ward (she/her/hers)

Formerly: Deputy Director of Delegates, Obama for America 2008; Deputy Assistant United States Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement, Obama Administration 

Currently: Director of Civic Engagement and Government Affairs, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

“ Art and creativity have the power to change the world. Images move us to act, feel, and to respond to issues large and small. Art and artists are usually the first to address issues of injustice and to bring joy to communities across a wide spectrum.”

–Myesha Ward
How you got started with the Obamas

“...I joined the Obama campaign in March 2007 and worked at the Chicago Headquarters. My first job with the campaign was as the Deputy Director of Delegates. As a part of the political team my job was to garner the support of superdelegates for Senator Obama and oversee our team of delegate trackers…After the inauguration I joined the administration as a Deputy Assistant United States Trade Representative for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement. I worked with all levels of government to promote the President's trade agenda as well as working with labor, non-profits, civil society, business groups and other organizations.”

The image is a photo of Myesha Ward, President Barack Obama, and an unidentified man. The unidentified man is speaking to President Obama while Myesha stands in the background. The unidentified man has a pale complexion, short dark hair, and is wearing a dark suit, a white shirt, and a pink tie. President Obama has a light deep complexion, closely cropped black hair and is wearing a grey suit and a red tie. Myesha has a light deep complexion and long dark hair with bangs. She is wearing a dark blue suit and a white shirt underneath.

A picture of Myesha with then-Senator Barack Obama

The importance of art in our democracy

“Art has been used from everything from ads to political cartoons that are used to push or support an agenda that can hold up democracy or can be used to denigrate groups of people and ultimately pull our country apart.”

Rendering of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. The picture is of the museum at night. The museum is shaped like a space ship with two protruding domes. The color of the museum is white and silver. Surrounding the museum is a street and in the background of the museum is the Los Angeles, California skyline.

Rendering of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art; courtesy of the Lucas Museum

Your advice for those who want to follow your path

“I spent most of my career in politics working on campaigns and 20 years ago I would not have imagined that I would be working at an art museum, immersed in arts and culture. But the skills I learned working on campaigns I found could be used anywhere.”

The image is a photo os Myseha Ward presenting a series of paintings outside for Arts Advocacy Day. Myesha has a medium deep complexion and dark hair pulled to the back of her head. She is wearing a black shirt, black pants, and black flat shoes. Behind her is a street. Across the street is a long green fence and a large building structure. Next to Myesha are four easels with different murals on them.

Myesha congratulating local South Los Angeles high school students whose art was displayed on the museum's construction fence.

YOUR SUPPORT TURNS HOPE INTO ACTION

Donate to the Barack Obama Foundation to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation to change their world.

The Barack Obama Foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 46-4950751).

Here is where you can see more stories:

View all stories
A closeup of Julie Mehretu’s glass installation, “Uprising of the Sun.”
  • First Look
  • The Arts
Art at the Obama Presidential Center

Discover over 20 art installations that will stimulate creativity and inspire people to bring change home.

Learn more
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.

Learn more
President Obama looks at the Norman Rockwell painting, "The Problem We All Live With," just hung in the Outer Oval Office, June 22, 2011.
  • The Arts
  • Presidential History
The power of art in the Obama White House

During their eight years in office, President and Mrs. Obama recognized and embraced the power of art.

Learn more
An illustration of four people with a range of light to deep skin tones lifting one another up on top of a paper plane. The background is pink.

Sign up for the latest on the Obama Foundation

Get the latest news and updates by signing up for Obama Foundation emails. (All fields required.)