Obama Foundation

Recently Nika Kovač led a movement to gather 1.2 million signatures in support of expanding abortion access for millions of women across the European Union. This is the story of what inspired her, and how she did it.

A place to learn, a place to play, and a place to belong. President Obama and CEO of the Obama Foundation Valerie Jarrett recently marveled at our whimsical playground — full of oversized animal structures and world class play equipment — and reflected on how our on-site branch of the Chicago Public Library will appeal to kids of every age. This is a place where every family is welcome, every child is safe, and every person is respected — a place for everyone.

🎉Starting June 19, The Obama Presidential Center is your home for fun, inspiration and activities of all kinds this Summer and on into the year! 🇺🇲To honor the 250th anniversary of the founding of America, and to inspire visitors to shape our shared future, we are hosting “You Are America,” a series of talks, performances, films, and community events. 🎇The series will kick off with a free Independence Day celebration on July 4 called “The People’s Fourth,” featuring live music, self-guided tours, and family-friendly activities across the campus. 🫜Get closer to nature, and your neighbors, Summer Garden Gatherings in the Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit and Vegetable Garden will run every other week from July 12 to Sept. 20, in partnership with Urban Growers Collective. 🎂Celebrate President Obama’s birthday with an all-ages karaoke DJ set Aug. 4! Get ready to sing along to classics from soul, R&B, and contemporary hits. 📖To create a little quiet and connection, we’re partnering with the Chicago Public Library to host storytime inside our new library branch. 🏐And local youth can discover their potential at the Teen Action Lab, in partnership with After School Matters, with hands-on sports, leadership, and wellness programs. 👟Meanwhile, older adults can hit their stride on campus through At Your Pace, a walk-run club led by Peace Runners 773. We can’t wait for you to join us for these, and so many more things to do! We’re just getting started! Check out the full event calendar: https://lnkd.in/eAVtMirp

Today, we celebrate the birthday of President John F. Kennedy: a leader who believed, above all else, in the courage of the American people. We invite you to reflect with us on the leaders who shaped us—and the work that still remain.

Today, we celebrate the birthday of President John F. Kennedy, a leader who believed, above all else, in the courage of the American people. We invite you to join us in reflecting on the leaders who shaped us—and the work that remains ahead.

The arrival of the Obama Presidential Center has the opportunity to change Chicago by creating experiences and amenities for Chicagoans and visitors to our town. I stopped by the studio to chat with my friends at Choose Chicago about what's coming to our city and offer some insights into the Center and why we created it. We also settled a few debates for good (like deep dish vs. tavern-style pizza). I love this city. It's not perfect, but I'm proud to do my part to make things better, especially for future generations. I hope you enjoy it. https://lnkd.in/gK3DX67g

Every day something new and wonderful is happening on campus at the Obama Presidential Center! Just yesterday, world-renowned sculptor and architect Maya Lin oversaw the final installation of "Seeing Through the Universe", a site-specific stone sculptural water feature that includes an upright oculus with misting water through the center, accompanied by a flat “pebble” that fills with water and cascades over, inviting visitors to touch and interact with the piece. Stay tuned for seeing the water get turned on soon! We can't wait for you to come sit in this peaceful section of parkland, which is named after President Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham.

We cannot wait to welcome you to campus! Today, we’re announcing the first slate of programming at the Obama Presidential Center, including free, public activities during our Grand Opening Weekend, June 19-21. As part of the Foundation’s mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world, and reflecting the Obamas’ legacy from their time in the White House, programming at the Center will offer experiences connected to arts and culture, civics and democracy, gardening and food, and sports and well-being. Grand Opening Weekend activities will include: 💃Live entertainment, including DJs, musical groups, and dance performances on the Plaza; 🎨Family-friendly activities throughout the campus, such as face painting, art making, and photo booths; 🎭Performances and programs featuring Obama Presidential Center commissioned artists; 🍔A variety of food available for purchase in our restaurant, cafe, and pop-up stations across campus; 📚Storytime and hands-on activities at the Center’s Chicago Public Library branch; 🏀Sports and play stations at the Home Court athletic center led by Chicago’s professional sports teams and their mascots, including the Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Fire FC, Chicago Sky, Chicago Stars FC, Chicago White Sox 🧶Double Dutch performances and hands-on crochet jump rope making in Home Court; 🫛Drop-in experiences in the Fruit & Vegetable Garden celebrating community, wellness, and creativity in partnership with Urban Growers Collective; 🙋Guided and self-guided audio tours of campus. Let us know we’ll see you on campus for Grand Opening Weekend: https://lnkd.in/dCzcCCFE These and all Grand Opening week activities are made possible through the generous support of GCM Grosvenor, Abbott, BMO, ITW and Northern Trust.

We are only 23 days away from the Obama Presidential Center's Grand Opening Celebration, and here in Chicago, that number makes us think of only one person: Michael Jordan. President Obama invoked Jordan's greatness often, but most notably when talking about resilience in 2009 in a national address to America's schoolchildren given at Wakefield High School in Arlington, VA: "Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. He lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots. But he once said, 'I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that's why I succeed.'"

During his presidency, President Obama read 10 letters a day from Americans who’d taken the time to write to him about their worries, hopes, and, often, their requests for help. These letters were hand-picked from the thousands of emails and handwritten notes that the White House received daily, and were representative of the day’s mail. The President read the 10 letters at night, and later often visited letter writers in their hometowns and spoke about how these messages inspired him and his policies. As President Obama toured the exhibits with Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett, he reflected on those letters and how they’re brought to life in the Museum today. The letters are paired with a deeply moving film created by Chicago’s own Manual Cinema, which beautifully illustrates the stories of letter writers as diverse as a worried veteran, a hopeful refugee and a joyful adoptee. The Obama Presidential Center opens June 19.