Michelle Obama on Chicago, Bike Ride Adventures, & Using Your Vote and Voice | Street You Grew Up On

On this episode of Street You Grew Up On, Kerry Washington and Michelle Obama discuss what it was like growing up in the South Side of Chicago. The values, the joy and the passions that were engrained in her on Euclid Avenue stayed with her throughout her life, and were brought with her to The White House and beyond. She shared a duplex with her Aunt and Uncle and shared a bedroom with her older brother so a closeness and a strong family bond was inevitable. The home was filled with music, and games, bike ride adventures, and the best apple pie you could imagine. Her father being the Voting Captain of her neighborhood showed her what was possible when communities came together to use their voice and vote. If you’re inspired by this conversation and looking for ways to participate in our democracy please visit www.whenweallvote.org/simpsonstreet
About Street You Grew Up On: Simpson Street is where our journey begins. It’s the street that Kerry Washington’s mom grew up on in The Bronx, NY. Through this social series, Kerry Washington interviews artists, influencers and industry experts to uncover their origin stories, amplify our common humanity and affirm the value of every individuals' journey, beginning with the “street you grew up on...”
Simpson Street: @Simpson Street
Kerry Washington: ‪@kerrywashingtonvideo‬
Michelle Obama: @MichelleObama
When We All Vote: @whenweallvote

[@jaymepeddycoart3471]

Great interview. First Lady Michelle Obama she is inspiring.

[@monnid9]

MICHELLE ?!?!?! Period Kerry

[@kerrywashingtonvideo]

PERIOD

[@manzeve1218]

Yes! She has our queen on her show!! What an honor..

[@David..832]

HE is a drag queen.

[@manzeve1218]

@@David..832 And you, good sir, are a troll. You see, our QUEEN has instructed us to go high and that's what make her a queen and you a peasant..

[@David..832]

@@manzeve1218 Drag queen, get it straight.

[@cherylmetts8321]

Yes she is. That troll has nothing better to do.

[@David..832]

@@cherylmetts8321 Michael is a boy Damon!

[@telikaandfam]

I love her story and how far she has come💕

[@Joyful-gu5bj]

Great conversation n interviewer. Noted! Be grounded on your truth. God bless you Mrs Obama. Much love n greetings from Kenya.

[@crystalwiley-brown1274]

That was an amazing story about the southeast side of Chicago where we both grew up. Michelle Obama paints a vivid picture of her wonderful family and her community and the love and support that they provided. Her solid foundation says so much about her becoming the amazing role model that she is.

[@johncoleman3953]

Personified grace, class and beauty! Thank you for being a great First Lady! 😊❤

[@sandralbradshaw4898]

This was a beautiful conversation with Mrs Michelle Obama. It was like taking a look back into my own childhood and the things we did as a family. Please keep the stories coming. Great interview.

[@missltonay]

oh snap! what a way to end season 1!! love my forever FLOTUS

[@gayleturner5125]

Thank You for having "Always my first lady" Michelle Obama...a treasure

[@louisegray7226]

Thank you Kerry....this is the real stuff that makes life interesting...

[@Adrienne064]

Thank you so much Kerry, for this great and powerful platform you have, to share with us and for having such awesome guests to appear, such as the wonderful Mrs. Michelle Obama!!! I so look forward to many more seasons of your great and powerful stories and experiences being shared with us!! 😊💞

[@Angelcurls67]

Please season 2

[@leebrownsuga500]

I've loved all the interviews but this one was by far my favorite❣ First Lady Michelle Obama is such an amazing human being! Every time I see her it brings a smile to my face and warms my 💜...

[@David..832]

It's a HE, first MAN.

[@marymoore5776]

@@David..832 Take your 💊 medication.

[@David..832]

@@marymoore5776 I took my red pill long ago thanks.

[@EsuMandusa]

Yes Kerry Great Job ! "You are doing the work! and the work done GOOD!!"- Ombrey degrate

[@missypooh1109]

This was fantastic! Thank you Kerry for having her on! Here are a few ideas of people that I would like to see: 1. Michael Strahan 2. Tracee Ellis Ross 3. David Mann 4. Steve Harvey 5. Tia Mowry 6. Dexter King 7. Jada Pinkett Smith 8. Lester Holt 9. Jill Scott 10. Beyonce Keep up the amazing work!

[@brandonsandoval5188]

Now this one is awesome.😃 Former First Lady Michelle Obama is a wonderful person to interview.

[@David..832]

It's Michael Obama

[@marymoore5776]

Michelle Obama, the best First Lady ever.

[@David..832]

@@marymoore5776 Michael

[@rhondaclark5391]

I can never hear from the First Lady too much!! She is such a treasure❤️❤️❤️❤️💐💐💐💐

[@byronoden2715]

This conversation made memories of my childhood rush back in my head

[@JerriCouncil]

Love your channel! Loved this convo! Love Mrs. Obamo! And, I. LOVE. YOUUU!!! Thanks for the strolls down memory lanes.

[@Vanelle1]

Michelle Obama🤗🤗🤗

[@loisjenkins9563]

She is not Michelle, but Mrs. Obama. The former First Lady of the United States who wore it well. Intellect, decency and integrity is what they represented on the world stage and still do. I will ALWAYS love her. So proud!!!!!!!!!!.

[@Msltfoster]

This Series was so good! I’ve enjoyed hearing the stories relating to the respective Streets.

[@gayleturner5125]

Angela Bassett Where did she grow up?

[@zoekrvtz2131]

Wow, Michelle Obama!! Unpretentious - and so brilliant. Love her!

[@abbylivingston1449]

Michelle Obama is fantastic..

[@crestarose]

I am beside myself- this is EPIC! I’ve loved this series Kerry!! It has wowed me every time and provided such an insightful start to my New Year! Thank you for creating this!

[@natasharochelle3218]

I love Mrs. Obama. What will be amazing is you interviewing her daughters in 10 years or so, so they can speak about the street they grew up on!! What a different story they will have to tell!!

[@not-even-german4892]

Yep.

[@jae6506]

Black Excellence and Black Girl Magic at its finest✨✨✨✨

[@madelynmcintire7480]

Wonderful interview!

[@abc123leslye]

What a way to end this first series! I really enjoyed the all videos and the way you interview. You're such a great listener and I'm sure that's why your guest are so comfortable with you.

[@scheenafarmer3979]

I don’t know what others think but it is a beautiful thing to know and share our experiences so that we see that we are not to much different then each other growing up. Stories sound the same until we reach ages where we start to move on to different schools and other plans. Interesting.

[@stoni129]

My Forever FLOTUS 🥰

[@talisha5863]

I really appreciate both of your emphasis on how your upbringing can shape your character as an adult. Also big shoutout to Mrs Obama for the encouragement regarding not letting fear or negativity stop you from achieving success👸🏽💪🏽 Great interview👏🏽👍🏽

[@margaretlouiseable]

She is a he and therefore nothing it has to say is real.

[@eladiailes5289]

@@margaretlouiseable well..it takes one to know one...

[@margaretlouiseable]

@@eladiailes5289 No it doesn't.

[@ItsMeTashia]

Whoa! Amazing. Mrs Kerry your makeup is flawless babe! The shot from the side camera loves you!!! Forever First Lady Mrs Michelle!!! So amazing the people she’s connected too and how she comes off as personable with everyone. I love y’all. Great ending to a fantastic season. I do hope you do more and continue to grow. Congrats Mrs Kerry on all things Simpson Street. Thank you for sharing and caring. You are a Queen and I am here for your reign! 😎✌🏾💜

[@alisonfranklin4494]

My First Lady 4Ever!!! Always Chicago Strong 💪🏼!!!! Love me some Michelle O!!!!

[@saradaniel77]

This was great! Hearing about Mindy Kaling’s street she grew up on would be soo cool. She is so awesome in so many lanes.

[@cherylharewood6125]

South Side of Chicago to the United States of America 🇺🇸 White House and made and still makes all people worldwide, especially Africans 🌍, African-Americans 🌍 🇺🇸,and black people worldwide🌐, Hawaiians, Irish, Cambodians happy and proud.

[@klintwatches]

I just knew that you were going to hit us with a two piece upper cut sooner or later! Lol. Next up Putin? (Let his ppl call your ppl)

[@TMac-fe1tc]

This was awesome, thanks @Kerry & 1st Lady Michelle.

[@TYRONE538]

I love this... so powerful.. :) ;)

[@oliviawouter8541]

What an awesome encouraging interview. The best way to end this season. Thank you Kerry for giving us the opportunity to learn more about people we admire and respect. Love you both ladies ❤️❤️

[@edmasi]

Kerry! I love this EP. Just learning about you. Yay! ✌🏼

[@raineyj560]

💔 First Lady Obama. Loved her book and her podcast.

[@karenburroughs6395]

Definitely need a season 2! Everyone has a story to tell, and someone is influenced, bolstered, calmed, and/or uplifted by someone's story that is waiting to be told. It's the little things! Thank you so much Kerry for this series!

[@staysunny170]

Michelle talking about animity was interesting. Most of us appreciate being able to do things and go places without the gaze of the public and their cell phones. I can only imagine how hard it is to lose that freedom which is why I am so impressed with how she and her family have handled being in the spotlight for over a decade. We really do mean it when we say she has handled all of this pressure with grace and patience. Plus the level of discipline it takes to rise above disparaging comments made in droves especially when she could've easily "clapped back" at her naysayers is also what makes Michelle spectacular. To have the discernment to not respond to every tom dick and harry who says something bad about you is wise. When she said when they go low we go high she really meant it. ❤️🙌🏾🙏🏾

[@margaretlouiseable]

Barf.

[@eladiailes5289]

Very wise. She kills those "naysayers" with grace and class.

[@bravomcqueen]

Amazing interview. Two iconic figures just having a talk. Love it!

[@lizolejalajala]

What a great conversation, loved it very much. ❤❤

[@HH-qw6ex]

2 beautiful and talented sisters 💕.

[@IiMeika]

My FAVORITE SO FAR

[@worldtraveler7296]

She forgot to ask the alter ego name 😩

[@David..832]

Michael or "Big Mike"

[@marymoore5776]

@@David..832 Michelle Obama.

[@David..832]

@@marymoore5776 Michael

[@David..832]

@@marymoore5776 Big Mike is what his husband calls him in da bed.

[@denisehopkins4885]

Michelle touched on many important issues…this is what is missing in society the village and being each other keeper. We are living in such a different time where everyone is for themselves…. I loved how she tells her story. Love this channel.

[@David..832]

The correct pronoun is HE.

[@staysunny170]

@@David..832 Get a life

[@David..832]

@@staysunny170 Face facts.

[@jacquelineammann1871]

She's big he, look he shoulders, square and musculature face and body

[@bakeembakeem9852]

A stellar example of not how nor where you came from but where you are today tells your story

[@thesmileyeffect]

Love you both ladies! Thank you for sharing this conversation with the world.

[@camilleemblem5994]

Wonderful interview!

[@13Matika]

I was waiting for the alter ego name ... what happened? I am enjoying the show. I would like to hear about the street you grew up on,

[@nabaariad7140]

I loved the interview and love mrs mieshele Obama please can you arrange an interview with queen Rania she is amazing woman

[@udntknomeXX]

Coming from the Chi, she's so right about the sequence of bike riding. I always used to try to be adventurous when the cousins came to visit. I figured it would be an opportunity to "try" something new & hope I didn't get in trouble so it could continue. 😂

[@myriamcherasard8085]

Will you please interview Angelina Jolie and Julia Robert’s, Whoopi Goldberg, Lisa Bonet?

[@topazp.2721]

Awesome interview, with two beautiful classy ladies! Keep this going,❤️

[@yawildlinshay4976]

Great interview Kerry! Definitely would like to see Angela Bassett, Jamie Foxx, Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Robert D Niro, Meryl Streep

[@diamondgamer2349]

Gracias,por darnos la oportunidad de,escuchar, a un ser humano tan especial y maravilloso 👍😃 Feliz 2022!😃

[@eladiailes5289]

Una dama....

[@1982yo]

Love love love

[@Max2U]

This is so absolutely fabulous!

[@mamphetelisekantsi7926]

Gosh I love you both💖

[@ntaylor0812]

I loved that this was the next interview. Michelle Obama is such an inspriration & there is something about her that just makes you want to listen to her every word & take note. I loved her book but how she talks about family & Chicago is just lovely & powerful. Both of you together is just amazing...you both have this warm kind of energy! Thank you Kerry for these interviews & I really hope there are more to come...I'm loving them all

[@jonathangrant9486]

I really really really really hope you have a season 2 of this show. I've enjoyed the interviews and I hope you have an even bigger platforms to showcase the stories talent and high production value of this series. Keep up the great work!

[@gayleturner5125]

Love you Sooooo much💖💖💖

[@yonathanseleshi]

Michelle is such a warm and down to Earth person. It just comes out in any interview she does.

[@pamk1967]

Great podcast Kerry! Wonderful to see Fotus Michelle Obama👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@trayshana]

PREACH PREACH PREACH

[@VernonNickersonSCHOOLCOACH]

00:19:00 Wow, the luxury of being anonymous! makes sense ladies!

[@tonyapendleton7467]

I was like wow this KZbinr looks a lot like Kerry Washington Um duh

[@AWG2]

This was such a beautiful series. Your second installment should include people that still live in those streets they grew up in .Thank you this series has inspired me to go back to the community I grew up in and give back.

[@hazelcollier341]

Thank you Kerry, this has been an awesome interview. I admire both of you ladies for your gifts of encouragement.❤️

[@sswan9689]

Michelle came from humble beginnings. Feel sorry for the aunt & uncle who lived underneath Michelle's lively family, Lol!! This was a very special interview. Kerry tell us about the street you grew up on and what it smelled like in your home and your neighbors. But who would interview you? 🤔

[@pauletteclough1002]

Great podcast very touching you both are amazing ladies 🙏❤

[@nadiamombrun2340]

Consistency and commitment are keys to success.

[@lavonnthomas5050]

The bike ride story!!! So relatable. Transferred me back to my pea green bike on 24th Street, NE, Washington DC. Great series!!!

[@devantejonesm]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@duchess2367]

Marriage counselor who was the scared fish

[@dawnka1329]

Wow!!! Loved it. Future guest suggestions Angela Basset, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Alycia Keys, Kelly Roland, Michelle Williams, Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Giancarlo Esposito, Kimora Lee, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Rachel Maddow, Oprah, Meagan Good.

[@AWG2]

All of your guests were very inspiring.

[@bobbiewestbrook2107]

Beautiful, educated, respectful black women

[@nyahjones5511]

Amazing!

[@artisticrain8585]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@VernonNickersonSCHOOLCOACH]

OUR ORIGIN STORIES ALWAYS MATTER! SO TRUE!

[@sarenastralis9969]

This was really nice to watch. You both are amazing thank you.

[@cj10109]

Ending the season with a bang!! I love Michelle 💜 she is such a beautiful person

[@Prettybirdpink]

💜💜💜

[@Zuzu__Chan]

Beautiful Excellence. You both looked absolutely stunning. I really enjoyed this conversation. I have always admired the brilliance and sense of service of both you and the amazing "Forever my First Lady" Mrs. Michelle Obama. I would love to see you have a conversation with Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Regina Hall, any member of Got7 (awesome K-Pop band), KeKe Palmer, Morgan Freeman, Salli Richardson-Whitfield and/or Taraji P. Henson. Lol, sorry for the long list. The more I thought about this platform and its possibilities, the more excited I became. I really hope there is a season 2 😍.

[@watchyoutubeaccount1]

love to hear from Sandra Oh next as your guest! please make it happend we don't often get to hear about her background and i think this show could be really fun with her! thanks

[@BillySnyper993]

Whe you guys coming to Ghana 🇬🇭?? Life is unbearable for some of us. Been Teaching in a primary school for years now and life’s not treating me well. I wanna continue my education but I just can’t coz I spent a lot last year due to moms breast cancer condition. Unfortunately I lost her. I hope I can continue my education

[@gospel3067]

My neighborhood growing up as well! I was back home taking care of my Pops when her book came out & she was killing traffic on Jeffrey recording. Reminded me of her husband in DC around lunch time convoy would block off streets and I'd wave but be hangry.

[@river6299]

Kerry Washington! ⭐⭐⭐💕

[@HH-qw6ex]

Much love!

[@kshinokevin]

guests that would be great (the place is where the state or country, that they were born in): Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (the "Finding Your Roots" PBS tv show; West Virginia), Tracy Morgan ("The Last O.G." tv series; "Staying Alive" 2017 comedy concert; Brooklyn, New York), Rosie Perez (a feisty (dance) choreographer/"Soul Train" dancer/actress/author, who was born & raised in Brooklyn, New York); Chris Rock (South Carolina), Tim Meadows (Michigan), Don Cheadle (Kansas City, Missouri); Garrett Morris (NOLA: New Orleans, Louisiana; one of the first SNL (Saturday Night Live) cast members from the 1970's-1980's), LeVar Burton (West Germany ?), Keke Palmer (ILLinois); Debbie Allen (Houston (H-Town), Texas: a mult-talented actress, dancer, choreographer, singer-songwriter, director, producer; Phylicia Rashad's sister, a former Howard University (fine arts) dean); Jon Stewart (New York City); Denzel Washington (New York); D.L. Hughley (Virginia); Wesley Snipes (Florida); Samuel L. Jackson or Dave Chappelle (both are from (Washington) D.C. aka "Chocolate City"), Kenan Thompson or Katt Williams (both were from Ohio) and maybe shock-jock Wendy Williams (Asbury Park, in New) Jersey). (credit: wikipedia)

[@djraynicecruzthebronxnewyo2705]

ECCLESIASTES 12:13

[@kshinokevin]

this has got to be one of the best guests, of all time, First Lady Michelle (Obama)...from the south side of Chicago. there was a stereotype was that it was a rough neighborhood.. like a scene from "Adventures of Babysitting" (with Elisabeth Shue), aka "A Night on the Town": a 1987 film director debut for Chris Columbus ("Home Alone": Columbus co-wrote "Home Alone" with producer, John Hughes). It was filmed in Toronto (Ontario), Canada, which stood in for the "Windy City (Chicago)." (credit: IMDB)

[@chandrahouston2775]

Loved this series. Please bring your friend Jamie Foxx to the show.