(July 4, 2009): "Social Justice and the First Lady - Away from the cameras, the Michelle Obama is reaching out to DC's poor and neglected" (Newsweek)

[CGP]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/205208


With Congress on recess and many of the city's swells attending the Aspen Ideas Festival, it's a good time to check in on the Washington that is mostly invisible to the lawmakers, lobbyists and assorted elites that define the nation's capital. It's the Washington that Michelle Obama is determined to make part of her White House neighborhood. Her husband has declined to put a "Taxation Without Representation" license plate on the presidential limousine, but Michelle has become DC's Florence Nightingale, reaching out to the city's poor and neglected in a way few previous First Lady have done.

Her willingness to highlight her adopted city's problems and publicize promising solutions offers a road map for social justice advocates. Those who toil in this field are for the most part selfless do-gooders who normally labor in obscurity, unaccustomed to having the wife of the president stop by. But since she's been in Washington, Michelle Obama has made it a practice to almost every week visit some worthy non-profit, sparking a game of guessing where she'll turn up next. "She'll come here eventually, her days are numbered," says a confident Kate Clinton of N Street Village, which serves homeless and low-income women.

Clinton had just gotten word that Obama was up the street at Unity Health Care, a clinic that cares for indigent people, where she was touting money in the stimulus bill to build twenty additional exam rooms. A contingent of female reporters following Obama were left to cool their heels as the First Lady talked privately with the clinic's practitioners about childhood obesity and teen pregnancy. There's a fine line between paying attention and exploitation, and Obama is careful not to cross it as she enters a world of stresses that she has worked hard all her life to avoid. The economic downturn has taken its toll everywhere, but for social service agencies, it's a double whammy with reduced revenues socked by increased demand. The First Lady's seal of approval is priceless in terms of cachet and fundraising.

I was getting a tour of N Street Village at the time of this latest sighting of Michelle Obama in what's known as the 14th Street corridor. Not far from the White House, the area was damaged during the 1968 riots and then for years was a popular strip for prostitution. Luther Place Memorial Church ministered to the broken community and fifteen years ago bought the building that is dedicated to the care of homeless and low-income women, the most under-served and often the least cared-for among the city's unfortunate. N Street serves 800 women a year, but doesn't serve children or women who are the victims of domestic abuse because there are other resources for them. That leaves a population of mostly older women with significant mental-health issues often complicated by drug and alcohol addiction.

They are the legacy of a failed social policy that began in the 1980's with the de-institutionalization of people with mental illness on the assumption that communities with the help of pharmaceuticals would absorb their care. "And that didn't happen," says Schroeder Stribling, a licensed clinical social worker and deputy executive director at N Street. As she takes me through the facility, she introduces me to someone she proudly calls "the anchor," a cheerful African-American woman who is eager to tell me all the classes she has taken from yoga to anger management. She's been coming to N Street for nine years and Stribling counts her as a success story by the four measurements she uses: health, housing, income and employment. Tanya has been substance free for two years, she's in subsidized housing, she gets disability, and during the day, she does classes. N Street does try to place people in jobs if possible, and they've started a pilot program with "supportive senior services," what we used to call nursing homes, where they pay half the salary for the first year for people they place to encourage their hiring.



More at the link...

[Spang]

Michelle Obama is an amazing First Lady.

[Horizon]

As much as I have disliked her in the past, she seems to be very adept at using her new position for some really commendable things. And she is doing so, quietly. This is a Good Thing in my book.:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Good on you, Michelle. Keep it up.=D>

[Ikasu]

I still dislike her. :p

[Laura Cereta]

It's fortunate that Michelle is drawing attention to these causes-- they need it.

They are the legacy of a failed social policy that began in the 1980's with the de-institutionalization of people with mental illness on the assumption that communities with the help of pharmaceuticals would absorb their care. "And that didn't happen," says Schroeder Stribling, a licensed clinical social worker and deputy executive director at N Street.

De-institutionalization was a good thing. Replacing it with nothing wasn't.

[WASTRIC]

I hope shes not getting her $500 sneakers dirty.

[Suzan]

And she is doing so, quietly.

Yes, I think this is very smart. Obama's probably overexposed, but I think the interest in her has risen because she isn't.

[VotingHillary]

I will applaud her when she does the same thing for the most oppressed in this nation...our Native people.

[VotingHillary]

Michelle Obama is an amazing First Lady.

She has miles to go to equate Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Betty Ford...or Hillary Clinton.

[Spang]

She has miles to go to equate Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford...or Hillary Clinton.

She's just getting started.

[VotingHillary]

She just got started.

only time will tell

[Spang]

only time will tell

Fine, she's awful.

[Horizon]

While a lot of us did not like her during the primaries and still don't, a lot of you people are acting like she is as bad as Imelda Marcos, and the hotel diva, Leona Helmsley!
As far as being FLOTUS goes, she has done NOTHING as of yet to embarrass us, or that was unseemly in anyway. I really think you all could do better and give some credit when credit is due, no matter who it is, or stop the constant yapping about "Common Ground"!!!

I guess "Common Ground" only applies in your eyes when someone sucks up to Sarah Palin or some other conservative. Gimme a break.

[VotingHillary]

Fine, she's awful.

More snark on your part. I said time will tell...what part of that did you NOT understand?

Sorry, Spang, I am an old fart that doesn't believe in the automatic...

[Spang]

More snark on your part.

Yes, I'm probably as horrible as Michelle Obama. If only she was more like Sarah Palin.

[VotingHillary]

While we did not like hear during the primaries, a lot of you people are acting like she is as bad as Imelda Marcos, and the hotel diva, Leona Helmsley!
As far as being FLOTUS goes, she has done NOTHING as of yet to embarrass us, or that was unseemly in anyway. I really think you all could do better and give some credit when credit is due, no matter who it is, or stop the constant yapping about "Common Ground"!!!

I guess "Common Ground" only applies in your eyes when someone sucks up to Sarah Palin or some other conservative. Gimme a break.

No, Meredith, but a reputation is earned/deserved over time. This generation wants instant applause/gratification. Some of us still think respect/honor is an EARNED thing...not instantly demanded for ONE deed or another.

Betty Ford EARNED her reputation...Jackie Kennedy EARNED hers...and yes, HILLARY earned hers....Michelle hasn't been at this long enough to earn anything other than paying attention to what she is doing.

[Spang]

Betty Ford EARNED her reputation...Jackie Kennedy EARNED hers...and yes, HILLARY earned hers....Michelle hasn't been at this long enough to earn anything other than paying attention to what she is doing.

You know, I never said Michelle Obama was better than any of those women. I just said she was an amazing First Lady. Up to this point, I'd say that's pretty damn accurate.

[sojourner]

While we did not like hear during the primaries, a lot of you people are acting like she is as bad as Imelda Marcos, and the hotel diva, Leona Helmsley!
As far as being FLOTUS goes, she has done NOTHING as of yet to embarrass us, or that was unseemly in anyway. I really think you all could do better and give some credit when credit is due, no matter who it is, or stop the constant yapping about "Common Ground"!!!

I guess "Common Ground" only applies in your eyes when someone sucks up to Sarah Palin or some other conservative. Gimme a break.

I think we have reached "Common Ground." People were about as upset about some of the things Michelle wore as what Palin wore for that Runners magazine interview.

We pretty much don't like anyone.
Except for Hillary of course.

[Horizon]

No, Meredith, but a reputation is earned/deserved over time. This generation wants instant applause/gratification. Some of us still think respect/honor is an EARNED thing...not instantly demanded for ONE deed or another.

Betty Ford EARNED her reputation...Jackie Kennedy EARNED hers...and yes, HILLARY earned hers....Michelle hasn't been at this long enough to earn anything other than paying attention to what she is doing.

VH, has it occurred to you, that she IS trying to earn this?? It sure as hell looks like it to me, but at every step she is as torn down as you all claim Palin is!! Yes, she said nasty awful things about Hillary last year, which I will never forgive her for, but as far as being FLOTUS goes, she has done a great job to date, with nothing to be ashamed of, nor has she made a single blunder she has had to answer for.
I really think that if you are all going to go on and on and on about how vilified Sarah Palin is, you might want to take a look at what some of us do to Michelle Obama, there is not a hell of a lot of difference! It appears that Hillary has made peace, I would think that mulling that one over is in order here.

You claim that all the above women EARNED respect. They all started somewhere, just like MO is doing today. I never said anyone had to RESPECT the woman either, just give her some credit for doing some good things, she at least deserves that.

[sojourner]

She has miles to go to equate Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy, Betty Ford...or Hillary Clinton.

What exactly did or didn’t Michelle do to create this animosity? All I can recall is that “First time I have ever been proud of my country” thing and that seemed to only anger conservatives.

[CGP]

I think MO has done a pretty good job thus far in her role as partner of the president (I hate that term "First Lady").

I also think it's pretty unfair to compare her against other women from the past who spent years in their roles - she's only been doing this for, what, 6 months?

[VotingHillary]

I think MO has done a pretty good job thus far in her role as partner of the president (I hate that term "First Lady").

I also think it's pretty unfair to compare her against other women from the past who spent years in their roles - she's only been doing this for, what, 6 months?

That is my POINT! I am not dissing or dismissing Michelle Obama,the FLOTUS...I am merely stating that her legacy has to be earned over time...not over one instance.

Sheesh....

[sojourner]

VH, has it occurred to you, that she IS trying to earn this?? It sure as hell looks like it to me, but at every step she is as torn down as you all claim Palin is!! Yes, she said nasty awful things about Hillary last year, which I will never forgive her for, but as far as being FLOTUS goes, she has done a great job to date, with nothing to be ashamed of, nor has she made a single blunder she has had to answer for.
I really think that if you are all going to go on and on and on about how vilified Sarah Palin is, you might want to take a look at what some of us do to Michelle Obama, there is not a hell of a lot of difference! It appears that Hillary has made peace, I would think that mulling that one over is in order here.

You claim that all the above women EARNED respect. They all started somewhere, just like MO is doing today. I never said anyone had to RESPECT the woman either, just give her some credit for doing some good things, she at least deserves that.

I don’t know about on this forum, but nationally Sarah Palin gets about 100 times more negative press than Michelle Obama.

But I agree with you that we should give her a chance as first lady. She probably said a lot of things in the heat of battle that she now regrets. I think becoming President and First Lady Changes people, and to the good.

[Horizon]

I think we have reached "Common Ground." People were about as upset about some of the things Michelle wore as what Palin wore for that Runners magazine interview.

We pretty much don't like anyone.
Except for Hillary of course.

I got over caring what she wore, and she seems to look a lot nicer as FLOTUS than she did before.

That get up Palin wore in the runners mag, was gonna get some sexist comments, no way around that.

I like lotsa peeps, not just Hillary. I DID like Palin, until I did my own checking on her and didn't like what I saw.

[CGP]

I don’t know about on this forum, but nationally Sarah Palin gets about 100 times more negative press than Michelle Obama.


Sarah Palin ran for the vice-presidency, Michelle Obama did not.

Sarah Palin engages with the media as though it's a war between her and them. Michelle Obama does not have this kind of r/ship with the media.

So it is really not that surprising that SP gets more (negative) press than MO.

[Horizon]

I don’t know about on this forum, but nationally Sarah Palin gets about 100 times more negative press than Michelle Obama.

But I agree with you that we should give her a chance as first lady. She probably said a lot of things in the heat of battle that she now regrets. I think becoming President and First Lady Changes people, and to the good.

I for one, have already noticed a HUGE change in her. I think she stays out of the limelight more than even Hillary did as FLOTUS, but when you do see her, she is well groomed, well spoken and very classy. She seems to be interested in some projects that are all about helping the the less fortunate, from all walks of life.
And say what you want about her, she appears to be an EXCELLENT mother. :rockon:

I think this has been a change for the better where she is concerned.=D>

[Tybee]

Sarah Palin ran for the vice-presidency, Michelle Obama did not.

Sarah Palin engages with the media as though it's a war between her and them. Michelle Obama does not have this kind of r/ship with the media.

So it is really not that surprising that SP gets more (negative) press than MO.


It is a war between Palin and the MSM.

There is no war for MO, why would there be?

[Tybee]

What exactly did or didn’t Michelle do to create this animosity? All I can recall is that “First time I have ever been proud of my country” thing and that seemed to only anger conservatives.



She seemed to be going full steam prior to that statement, then got out of the limelight. Time will tell.

[TheTaoOfBill]

It is a war between Palin and the MSM.

There is no war for MO, why would there be?

Because Michelle Obama prepares herself when she goes in front of the camera. Sarah Palin just wings it and gets burned.

[Laura Cereta]

I'm not going to compare Michelle to Palin... or to any other First Lady... yet. I'm mostly neutral on Michelle, though still slightly negative over her cheap shots at Hillary.

The only thing she's done that I didn't like (well, there are two) was that she wore those ridiculous $540.00 sneakers to the food bank. But on the flip side, at least she volunteered at the food bank.

I also cringed when she said something along the lines of that she "lived to do service work" (and I'm paraphrasing). I believe that was fake bs.

Her former employer is being investigated for illegally turning away low-income patients. If that is true, it would be hard for her to claim not having a part in it, given her position. Right now it's unfounded, though, so I have no opinion on it.

Also, her former postion was just axed when she left. That begs the question, was the hospital restructuring or did she just pull in a nice salary for not doing much because she was the Senator's wife? Again, merely speculation.

[Tybee]

Some of the same people on this forum praising MO were blasting Palin for being in NY to support autism.

[Kbentleyis]

Personally, I just don't care. For the first time in my life I'm worried about our country. With all of the new legislation that they are putting in place to quash the poor and middle class, we'll see if the majority of us aren't being handed food by the FLOTUS! If either her or her husband cared enough, we wouldn't be tanking in employment and financial entities.

What BS propaganda can so many people fall for?