The Obama Presidential Center might be named for the Obamas, but it is built for you. It’s a vibrant, living celebration of community. A monument to unshakable values: equality, empathy, and inclusion. A beacon of hope.
It’s a place we hope you’re going to come back to again and again.
Visibility and accessibility are two different things. Please don’t mix up the fact that you can see me come with the fact that you have actual access to me, because you don’t. 💯
More than 40 years ago, I arrived in Chicago in search of an idea. I was a young man looking for purpose, who believed deeply in America, was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, and wanted to be a part of something larger. The America I believed in was one where everyone has opportunity, everyone is seen, everyone belongs—because that was an America that had a place for me, too.
To everyone who helped bring the Obama Presidential Center to life, thank you. Michelle and I are so grateful for all your dedication and hard work over the years.
I got a little teary-eyed tonight thinking about my mother-in-law, Marian Robinson.