Chicago will always be home

No matter where I’ve traveled, who I’ve met, or what I’ve done, one of the greatest honors of my life will always be telling people that I’m from Chicago. It’s where I was born and raised, where I met Barack and had my girls, where I discovered who I wanted to be—and where I set out to achieve it. Chicago will always feel like home to me, but it’s so much more than that.

For generations, this city has been a training ground for anyone restless for change. It’s been a place where artists and activists, community leaders and changemakers, and so many others have gathered together to draw up blueprints for the world they wanted to build. And that’s why, when Barack and I were thinking about where we could inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders, we knew the Obama Presidential Center had to be in Chicago.
 

Because the Center is not just about the two of us. It’s about all those who came before us and paved the way for our story—giants like Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Congressman John Lewis, Toni Morrison, and so many others. It’s about providing a place where people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities will be able to come together, share their stories, and think about their place in history—whether they’re an activist from Delhi, an artist from France, or a girl from the South Side of Chicago just like me. 

The Center’s Forum, Plaza, and Library will be resources for all those who come to visit, with an auditorium, recording studio, and communal spaces for lectures and community events to take place. We’ll also have gardens and greenery for everyone to reflect in and enjoy—even a sledding hill for those who visit during the winter. 

We want the Center to be more than just a place to visit once or twice on a field trip or family outing. We want it to be a hub for the next generation of giants to come back to again and again. We want it to be somewhere that people can meet new people, encounter new ideas, and take on new endeavors. Because that’s what community is all about—it’s what democracy is all about. In a world where so much is pulling us apart, we hope this Center will help bring people together around our shared values.