Michelle Obama Says She Is Committed To Creating Thousands Of Mes By Working With Young Leaders

Former First Lady Michelle Obama is well aware of the impact she has on young women, and especially young girls of color. How many times did we see them incredulous that she had walked into their school room unannounced, leaving all the kids -- but girls in particular -- shrieking with delight and covering up their eyes in disbelief. 

Michelle Obama has that kind of impact on young people -- even very, very young people. Parker Curry, age 2, found herself fixated over Obama's new portrait in the National Portrait Gallery. So spellbound was Parker over the towering image of America's royal black goddess that she refused to turn around for just one snap for mom Jessica Curry. 

Curry, a lifelong DC District resident, was so fixated on her daughter being fixated on the portrait that she didn’t see a man to the side taking a cellphone photo of the moment — Parker in utter awe, her mouth agape.

The next morning, Curry said her phone “blew up," she told The Washington Post.

“This is what America is all about,” tweeted an Atlanta man. “This young girl can now dream about being someone like Michelle Obama.”

Tweeted another: “I needed to cry over something beautiful ­instead of crying over frustrating news.”

The striking portrait of Obama — in a long, flowing dress against a light blue background — was painted by Baltimore artist Amy Sherald, who was chosen by the former first lady.

“The first lady inhabits a world of calm, clarity and Wedgwood-hued enlightenment,” Washington Post art critic Philip Kennicott wrote.

Michelle Obama reaffirmed the fact that she has no interest in running for president, or any other political office, speaking Feb. 27th at Klick Health's Muse event in New York. Obama, 54, is instead interested in "creating thousands of mes" by working with younger leaders. 

Parker Curry may be among her youngest admirers, a fact that got 3-hearts on Obama's Instagram. 

"As an older leader, I think an important part of leadership is stepping out of the way and making room," she told attendees at the conference. In fact, her work with the Obama Foundation has given her a lot of optimism about the country's young people. "They're tired of watching us do the same old thing and expect different results."

It's very possible that the young people of Parkland, Florida were on Michelle Obama's mind when she made these remarks. The former first lady expressed "total awe" and support for the young activists from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where a gunman killed 17 people. Obama wrote that she and former President Barack Obama, were "behind you every step of the way."