Michelle Obama posts rare unseen photo with Barack, Sasha, and Malia as she pays tribute to 'strong, intelligent, warm-hearted women' in her life ahead of Mother's Day
- The former first lady, 55, posted a pre-Mother's Day post spotlighting women who aren't her mom but have had an impact on her life
- She shared gratitude for her grandmother LaVaughn, her Aunt Robbie, and her Princeton Mentor Czerny Brasuell
- She also called out her mother's friend and her daughters' godmother, Eleanor Kaye Wilson or 'Mama Kaye'
- Along with the touching message, she shared a previously unseen photo with her husband, her daughters, her mother, and Mama Kaye
Michelle Obama shared a rare, unseen photo of her family on Instagram on Thursday as she shared a touching tribute to women who've made a difference in her life.
The former first lady, 55, said that ahead of Mother's Day in the US this Sunday, she wanted to take a moment to recognize those women who aren't her own mother but have still played a nurturing role in her life.
And in sharing her gratitude for her grandmother, her aunt, her college mentor, and her daughters' godmother, Mrs. Obama also posted a beautiful family photo, which was apparently taken several years ago but does not appear to have been published before.
Michelle Obama shared a rare, unseen photo of her family on Instagram on Thursday as she shared a touching tribute to women who've made a difference in her life
The former first lady, 55, said that ahead of Mother's Day in the US this Sunday, she wanted to take a moment to recognize those women who aren't her own mother but have still played a nurturing role in her life
She mentioned 'Mama Kaye,' her daughters' godmother, and reminded readers to thank mother-like figures this weekend, too
The photo shows Michelle dressed up in a blue floral Tracy Reese dress, which she has worn on several occasions dating back to 2010.
She is smiling next to Malia, wearing a short white eyelet number and holding a pretty bouquet. Next to Malia is former President Barack Obama in a suit, with Sasha wearing her own blue dress in front.
Also in the photo are Michelle's mother Marian Robinson, and Marian's longtime friend — and Sasha and Malia's godmother — Eleanor Kaye Wilson.
'As we prepare for #MothersDay on Sunday, I wanted to take a moment to shine a light on those women in our lives who may not be our mothers, but have nonetheless played an important role in nurturing us,' Mrs. Obama wrote.
'I’ve been grateful to be surrounded by so many strong, intelligent, warm-hearted women who, along with my mother, have made me who I am.
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'I’ve been grateful to be surrounded by so many strong, intelligent, warm-hearted women who, along with my mother, have made me who I am,' she wrote
She wrote about her 'soft-spoken grandmother LaVaughn' and her Aunt Robbie, with whom she lived as a child (pictured)
'They include my soft-spoken grandmother LaVaughn, whose work managing a Bible book store showed me some of my first glimpses of a woman in charge.
'I sparred with my Aunt Robbie, who lived below us, during piano lessons — but her teaching showed me the importance of hard work and preparation, and she was always there for me when I needed her most.
'My mentor at Princeton, Czerny, saw potential in me and did her part to get me to step outside of my comfort zone—to be a little more bold, a little less cautious.
'And then there’s Eleanor Kaye Wilson, who we call "Mama Kaye," she went on, referring to the woman standing between Barack and Michelle's mother in the photo.
One woman she called out was Czerny Brasuell (left) , a mentor of hers when she was at Princeton
'She’s sweet-hearted and deep-rooted, a second mother or grandmother for all four of us — Malia, Sasha, Barack, and me. She’s been there to help with mealtime, craft time, been to all of our events over so many years — a wonderful friend and confidant to my mother.
'We love her, just like we love so many supportive women whose stories and contributions often go unrecognized, but who deserve just as much appreciation and love this time of year.'
She concluded the post: 'So if there’s a Mama Kaye or a Czerny, a Grandma LaVaughn or an Aunt Robbie in your life, make sure to show them some love this weekend, too.
She concluded the post: 'So if there’s a Mama Kaye or a Czerny, a Grandma LaVaughn or an Aunt Robbie in your life, make sure to show them some love this weekend, too'
Mrs. Obama has spoken about these important women in her life before.
'I ... adored my grandmother LaVaughn Robinson, my father’s mother, from whom I got my middle name,' she told The Guardian.
'Dutiful in her prayers and churchgoing, she was a quiet presence, with a very soft and sweet voice. She never yelled, or even spoke very sternly.
'As a little girl, I also had the opportunity to see her at the Bible bookstore she managed, running the place with precision, making sure the whole operation was humming.
'She carried herself with this wonderful mix of grace and confidence. She was one of the first professional women I could look up to, a woman who knew what was going on.'
Last year, Michelle posted a throwback photo of her mother on Mother's Day
Her great-aunt Robbie, in fact, is featured heavily in her book, Becoming. Michelle lived on the second floor of Aunt Robbie's house in Chicago, and learned to play piano at her side.
In one passage, she recalls her first piano recital and how her aunt came to the rescue. Michelle was used to playing on an older piano with a chipped key that marked middle C — but at the recital, there was no such chip, and Michelle got momentarily lost.
'Here in my moment of comeuppance, she arrived at my shoulder almost like an angel,' she wrote. 'Maybe she understood my shock. Maybe she knew that the disparities of the world had just quietly shown themselves to me for the first time.'
Speaking to The Guardian, she added: 'She was a bit of a taskmaster, very finickety in the way she taught piano, and we butted heads from time to time, but there was a warmth and love that flowed beneath everything. I loved her independence, her strength and her compassion. She was a big part of my support structure in those formative years.'
Czerny Brasuell served as director of the Third World Center from 1981 to 1984. Michelle Obama, then named Michelle Robinson, served on the board.
And Eleanor Kaye Wilson is a longtime friend of Michelle's mother, whom Michelle and Barack named godmother to Sasha and Malia.
While the couple were campaigning, their daughters would often stay with Mama Kaye.
In 2011, President Obama mentioned Mama Kaye during a prayer breakfast, saying that she'd started her own Bible study group 'once I started running for president and she heard what they were saying about me on cable, she felt the need to pray harder."'
