First Lady Michelle Obama swept into Detroit to speak at a mentoring event aimed to inspire and motivate youth at Wayne State University.
The event marks the national expansion of an initiative that the First Lady originally began in 2009 as apart of the East Wing’s mentoring program of local Washington, D.C. young female students. The program eventually spilled over into the President’s West Wing where President Obama took to the helm to mentor young men from the area.
The First Lady spoke before a crowd 5,000 area high school students as well as adult onlookers in the struggling Detroit area, whose economy has fought hard to make a recovery after decades of economic decline.
The speech was direct and and inspirational. The First Lady emphasized not only the importance of education, but the importance of service to the students by highlighting the need of giving back to their perspective communities, thus empowering others.
“Do you want the secret [to success]?… There’s no secret. It’s education.” Mrs. Obama said.
Their were many influential people on hand to support the First Lady including basketball legend and business entrepreneur Erwin “Magic” Johnson, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, the enlightened Susan Taylor of Essence Magazine, and critically acclaimed film director Spike Lee.
