Michelle Obama Opened Up About the Importance of Having Black Friends
The latest episode of Michelle Obama’s podcast features a conversation between the former FLOTUS and three of her closest friends: Dr. Sharon Malone, Denielle Pemberton-Heard, and Kelly Dibble.
“We can talk about the important stuff: what’s going on in the world, in our families, whatever we’re thinking about, really,” she said. “We’re just there for each other when it counts—for a laugh, for a hug, for whatever we need.”
Obama mentioned that they recorded the episode not long after the death of George Floyd. “We’re in the midst of, not only a pandemic, but, we’ve just witnessed a murder of a Black man, in public. And I know that we talk about race as a group of friends\ all the time. There’s a level of pain, and frustration, you know, just, fatigue, with being Black in America.”
She spoke a bit about her experiences as a Black woman feeling “invisible,” recalling a time when someone cut in front of her family at an ice cream shop or saying that people often don’t look at her—or recognize her. “Walking the dogs on the canal, people will come up and pet my dogs but will not look me in the eye,” she said. “They don’t know it’s me.”
The group also discussed the importance of having Black friends who understand these experiences.
“It it has been so important for me to have Black women in my crew, throughout my life, professionally,” Obama said. “Because there’s just a certain relief that comes when you don't have to walk into your friend group and explain yourself. My group of female friends aren’t calling me to say, ‘What can I do?’ They’re, you guys are calling me to say, ‘How you doin’ girl? You know, let’s talk.’”
Obama has been pretty candid during previous podcast episodes. She shared what made her fall in love with Barack, how months of lockdown due to COVID-19 left her with a “low-grade depression,” and how she’s dealing with menopause.
You can listen to the full episode of the Michelle Obama Podcast here.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
