Michelle Obama visits a local book club prior to her book tour event at the Tacoma Dome on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Olivia Sullivan | Federal Way Mirror)

Michelle Obama visits a local book club prior to her book tour event at the Tacoma Dome on Sunday, March 24, 2019. (Olivia Sullivan | Federal Way Mirror)

Michelle Obama brings largest crowd of book tour to Tacoma

Former First Lady spends afternoon with local book club prior to event at Tacoma Dome

  • By OLIVIA SULLIVAN FEDERAL WAY MIRROR
  • Tuesday, March 26, 2019 10:26am
  • NewsNation-World

“Who are you becoming?” Michelle Obama questioned the audience of more than 18,000 people at Sunday night’s intimate conversation in the Tacoma Dome.

The event to promote her book “Becoming” was originally planned for Feb. 8, but was rescheduled due to severe snowfall in the Seattle area in early February.

Obama captured the attention of thousands, eliciting laughter and thunderous cheers as she elaborated on her childhood and White House memories documented within the pages of her memoir.

Throughout the crowd, audience members danced and sang along to a lively playlist of upbeat songs including “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” by Stevie Wonder to “Run the World (Girls)” by Beyoncé while waiting for the former First Lady.

Tacoma brought in the largest crowd yet of her 31-stop international tour, announced Jimmy Kimmel upon taking the stage as a guest moderator for the show.

Notable local legends, such as WNBA Seattle Storm player Sue Bird, the spouse of a Green Beret, singer Ciara, a Girl Scout, and Pearl Jam lead vocalist Eddie Vedder, opened the event with who they are becoming.

Rather than reading as a biography, Obama said she hoped her book portrayed as a story so people can get to know the little girl Michelle Robinson, Michelle’s maiden name, before the title of FLOTUS consumed her identity.

“The meat of who I am is that little girl [in] those stories and that journey,” she said.

She discussed the importance of role models and representation in all career fields for young people, especially girls and youth of color, in order to see what can be achieved by anyone.

Right now, she said, it appears the only representation is male, white and wealthy.

Barack is still writing his book, Obama said, to which Kimmel asked if he has indulged in smoking while working to finish the book.

“He better not be,” Michelle said. “No, no, he kicked the habit. He committed to stop smoking when healthcare was passed — ”

“He almost got to go back to smoking,” Kimmel said.

“Yeah, I know…” Mrs. Obama replied, turning to look directly out at the crowd. “I miss us too, ya’ll.”

She spoke about empowering young girls to become strong women and how equal upbringings build such characters.

Obama spoke fondly about her five-block radius of a world growing up and her hardworking father.

“I was raised right there as an equal,” she said about the way her father taught her and her brother, Craig, how to throw a ball — and throw a punch.

She talked about the fulfillment of giving back, rather than accumulating titles, income and degrees — but also shared the importance of education. Obama said at some point in her life it felt as if she was just checking boxes, not living with meaning.

“College doesn’t teach you how to think about who you want to be in this world,” Obama said, but she also strongly coaxed the crowd to attain education to better yourself.

Don’t teach kids to pick titles; teach children to explore who they are and who they want to become, Obama said.

Kimmel asked her if the Obamas had been back to visit the Trumps at the White House, to which the crowd erupted with laughter.

After a pause, Obama answered with a head shake.

“We have not gone anywhere near that house.”

Former President Obama’s departure from office when President Trump was inaugurated brought uncontrollable weeping because it was the first time she was able to “release and say, out loud, ‘That was hard,’” she said.

“That Michelle, that First Lady Michelle, was much more buttoned-up in a way that I don’t have to be now because I wanted to make sure that Barack and I, that we lived up to a very high standard,” she said. “Because we knew, as the first, that we would be setting the tone for anybody else who was not male and white coming in to the White House.”

To wrap up the evening, Obama detailed ways to become a better self and a culture the world needs: Find and value the story in you, be brave enough to put your story out there, practice every day the person you want to become, and vote while using every emotion to fuel your power at the polls.

Mrs. Obama joined 13 members of a local book club to discuss her memoir at the main branch of the Tacoma Public Library on Sunday afternoon prior to the evening show.

“Balanced Black Girl” book club was created by Lestraundra Alfred, a Seattle-based social media manager. The idea for Alfred’s book club sprouted from her diversity and wellness podcast of the same title soon after “Becoming” was released in November 2018.

“A lot of what she shared with us was cutting ourselves slack as women,” Alfred said. “We can be very hard on ourselves and very hard on each other and something she touched on at multiple points was to go easy on ourselves, be compassionate with one another because we’re all just doing the best we can.”

“She really encouraged us to share our stories and talk to one another and to uplift one another by having real conversations, and building community among women I think is the biggest takeaway,” Alfred said.

After the book club, the women poured from the building, excitedly chatting about their time with Obama and still awestruck by her grace, a few women told the Mirror.

“I just can’t believe I was in the presence of Michelle Obama,” said Nicole Keicher from Seattle.

Lily Pridgeon, from Bonney Lake, is a mom of two young girls. At Sunday’s afternoon event, Pridgeon said Obama talked about parenting.

“It was really inspiring to hear her talk about how she raised her girls and treated them as individuals and how we need to empower our daughters to be themselves and encourage whatever it is that they’re interested in,” Pridgeon said.

And as Lestraundra’s mother, Trina Alfred, put it: “It’s like having a conversation with your wisest girlfriend who gives amazing advice, and who is hilarious and down to earth.”


• Olivia Sullivan is a reporter for the Federal Way Mirror.


More in News

(Juneau Empire File)
Aurora forecast for the week of Nov. 27

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

Angie Flick (center), finance director for the City and Borough of Juneau, provides details of an early draft of next year’s municipal budget to Assembly members as City Manager Katie Koester (left) and Budget Manager Adrien Wendel listen during a Finance Committee meeting Wednesday night in the Assembly Chambers. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Assembly members prepare to retreat so they can move ahead on next year’s budget

“Very draft” $190 million spending plan for FY25 based on status quo has $1 million deficit.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Monday, Nov. 27, 2023

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

The front page of the Juneau Empire on Nov. 30, 2005. (Photo by Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Empire Archives: Juneau’s history for the week of Dec. 3

Three decades of capital city coverage.

Cheyenne Latu (left), a pharmacy technician at Ron’s Apothecary Shoppe, and business co-owner Gretchen Watts hang a poster at the front counter Thursday announcing the store’s closure after Dec. 6 as Jessica Kirtley, another pharmacy technician, works at the front register. The nearby Safeway supermarket has agreed to take the prescriptions of all customers as well as hire all of the independent pharmacy’s employees, according to the co-owners who are retiring. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Ron’s Apothecary Shoppe closing after nearly 50 years as co-owners retire; last day is Dec. 6

Safeway taking over all prescriptions and offering jobs to all employees, according to owners.

Attendees at the Friends of NRA — Juneau’s banquet in 2019 talk near auction tables at Centennial Hall. The fundraising event is resuming Saturday after a four-year COVID-19 disruption. (Photo courtesy of Friends of NRA — Juneau)
Friends of NRA — Juneau fundraising banquet returns Saturday after four-year pandemic absence

New Zealand hunting safari, signed Ted Nugent guitar among items being offered.

Wade Bryson, a Juneau Assembly member, explains why he favors giving local businesses a “sales tax holiday” for at least one day next year, targeting Feb. 29 as a suitable date, during the Assembly’s Finance Committee meeting Wednesday night. The committee voted to hold onto the proposal for further study rather than sending it to the full Assembly. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
A local sales tax holiday? Don’t pack your shopping bags yet

Proposal to waive taxes for a day or two each year isn’t a quick sale to most Assembly members

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Choir members rehearse Tuesday night for a Bach holiday concert at Ḵunéix̱ Hídi Northern Light United Church. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Quartet of Bach compositions joins lineup of local large-ensemble performances this season

Concerts this weekend part of resurging “wealth of riches” by choruses and orchestras, director says.

Most Read