Washington - First lady Michelle
Obama embraced her family's
African roots in a speech on
Wednesday, telling a group of
young Africans that the "blood
of Africa" runs through her veins
as she urged changing
traditional beliefs on the worth
of educating women.
Her husband had shied away
from discussing his African
heritage in his own remarks to
the 500 Africans finishing a six-
week Washington leadership
fellowship on Monday,
referencing his Kenyan father
only once and in the question-
and-answer session.
But Michelle Obama said as an
African American woman, her
discussion with the African
youth was "deeply personal".
"The roots of my family tree are
in Africa," the first lady told the
cheering crowd. "My husband's
father was born and raised in
Kenya. Members of our extended
family still live there. I have had
the pleasure of travelling to
Africa many times over the
years, including four trips as first
lady, and I have brought my
mother and my daughters along
whenever I can."
"The blood of Africa runs
through my veins, and I care
deeply," Obama said, addressing
her listeners as her "brothers"
and "sisters".
Three months before
congressional elections that
could determine the fate of
much of President Obama's
platform, Michelle Obama's
popularity remains high while
her husband's has sunk.
The White House is making
women's empowerment a theme
in a Washington African leaders
summit next week.
Michelle Obama said problems
with girls' education often
stemmed from traditional
"attitudes and beliefs" that exist
even in the United States and
lead to issues such as the gender
pay gap and an
underrepresentation of women
in leadership.
She said men worldwide needed
to "look into their hearts and
souls and ask if they truly view
women as their equals".
"I am who I am today because of
the people in my family,
particularly the men in my
family, who valued me and
invested in me from the day I
was born," Obama said.
"And as I grew up, the men who
raised me set a high bar for the
type of men I'd allow into my life
- which is why I went on to
marry a man who had the good
sense to fall in love with a
woman who was his equal, to
treat me as such - a man who
supports and reveres me, and
who supports and reveres our
daughters as well," Obama said.
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