Michelle Obama, born Michelle LaVaughn Robinson on January 17, 1964, in Chicago, Illinois, is an American attorney, author, and advocate who served as the 44th First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017.[1][3] Raised on Chicago's South Side by her parents, Fraser (a pump operator) and Marian Robinson, she graduated from Princeton University with a degree in sociology and African-American studies in 1985, followed by a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1988.[1][4][6] Early in her career, Obama worked at the Chicago law firm Sidley Austin, where she met Barack Obama, whom she married in 1992; they have two daughters, Malia (born 1998) and Sasha (born 2001).[3][5][6] She transitioned to public service, serving as an assistant to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, executive director of Public Allies (setting fundraising records), associate dean of student services at the University of Chicago, and vice president of community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center.[1][3][5] As the first African-American First Lady, Obama championed key initiatives including Let's Move! to combat childhood obesity (planting a White House vegetable garden), Joining Forces (with Jill Biden) for military families, Reach Higher for education and career guidance, and Let Girls Learn for global girls' education.[1][2][4] She advocated for poverty awareness, nutrition, physical activity, and healthy eating.[3] Post-White House, Obama authored bestsellers *Becoming* (2018) and *The Light We Carry* (2022), hosted *The Michelle Obama Podcast*, and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2021.[1][2][3] She remains a prominent figure in Democratic politics, women's rights, and public health advocacy.[2]