Michelle Obama Is Launching a New Series That Follows First-Gen College Students
Michelle Obama has a ton of new projects in the works. Last year the former first lady and Barack Obama announced they had struck a deal with Netflix and they'd be launching several documentaries and films through their production company, Higher Ground Productions. Now she's announced she has another special series in the works on Instagram, and it tackles a subject that she's championed passionately for a long time: college for first-generation students.
Called A Year of Firsts, the project will follow four students as they navigate the intricacies of higher education. The show will air on Instagram‘s IGTV this month through a partnership with Obama's Reach Higher initiative and the media company ATTN. “Each of them has overcome tremendous odds to get where they are,” Obama explains in an Instagram video announcing the series. “And throughout the year, they’ll tell us what that first year of college is really like. The ups, the downs, and everything in between.”
The subject matter is one Obama understands inside and out, not just through her work establishing the Reacher Higher initiative. As she detailed in her award-winning memoir Becoming, she was the first person in her family to attend college. Since then, she's raised conversations about how important it is to ensure that students who are forging a new path feel supported and have access to resources so they have successful experiences.
“As a first-generation college student myself, I know how intimidating it can be to take that leap and pursue your educational dreams,” she said in a statement. “That’s why I’m so proud of these students. By sharing their stories, they’re helping others see that the ups and downs of the first year of college are something everyone goes through—and they’re creating a supportive community for others facing similar challenges.”
Originally Appeared on Glamour
