Public Allies Arizona participants invited to see Michelle Obama at "Becoming"

(Phoenix, Ariz) - A few select Public Allies Arizona participants were invited to attend "Becoming: An Intimate Conversation with Michelle Obama" here in Phoenix the evening of February 12, 2019, part of the former First Lady's worldwide book tour.

Public Allies Arizona is a 10-month AmeriCorps program that places emerging young leaders at local nonprofit organizations. Public Allies Arizona is run by the Arizona State University Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, housed within Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. 

Michelle Obama's connection to Public Allies reaches back to its earliest days. She was the founding executive director of Public Allies Chicago in 1993, just a year after Public Allies itself was started in Washington, D.C. As First Lady, she continued to champion the program, which is now under the AmeriCorps umbrella and has 25 chapters across the country.

"We are thrilled that members of our Public Allies AZ cohort received tickets to Ms. Obama’s event. Her written story and the life she leads through character and service inspires us as her fellow Public Allies to continue planting 'seeds of change,'" said Terry Marks, Director of Public Allies Arizona with the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. "When one of our Allies is asked 'Are you good enough?' the answer will be resoundingly, 'Yes I am!'”

Lillian James, a current Ally placed at AZCEND Community, shared her excitement about the opportunity. "Michelle Obama’s book, 'Becoming,' provided me with a new perspective on her journey. Her strength, grace, and resilience has been a continued source of inspiration for me. Michelle Obama is a living embodiment of Public Allies’ values, and I am beyond thankful to Public Allies AZ for the opportunity to attend this event," she said.

Janell Brown, an Ally at Take the Lead, said, "A hard-to-swallow truth that Public Allies continues to teach me is that I am never unqualified to be in a room full of world-changers. I've never dreamed to share a room with Michelle Obama because I never felt qualified. It's funny how God challenges the thoughts we have towards ourselves. I am so excited to be in this room!"

In her memoir, 'Becoming,' Obama devoted a section to Public Allies and how the experience shaped her.

“Public Allies [is] all about promise — finding it, nurturing it, and putting it to use. It was a mandate to seek out young people whose best qualities might otherwise be overlooked and to give them a chance to do something meaningful. To me, the job felt almost like destiny," she wrote.

"I’ve been amazed over time to see how many of our recruits did, in fact, succeed and commit themselves long term to serving a larger public good. Twenty-five years after its inception, Public Allies is still going strong with chapters in Chicago and two dozen other cities and thousands of alumni across the country. To know that I played some small part in that, helping to create something that’s endured, is one of the most gratifying feelings I’ve had in my professional life."

Samira Amin, a current Ally at the Mesa Arts Center Foundation, said the event is yet another way Public Allies will help her grow as a leader. "I knew Public Allies was going to be filled with opportunities, and I am more than grateful for this one. Michelle Obama is a strong leader who represents what Public Allies is all about, and reminds me why I joined the program in the first place."

Sean Mayer, who joined Public Allies this winter as an Ally with the Homeless ID Project, said, "I can't explain how excited I am to be in the presence of this woman. Michelle Obama, by being an educated, black woman from a working-class family, has revolutionized the role of First Lady simply by being herself."

Ally Adrian Morales, who was recently placed at ASU's Global Sport Institute, said, "Joining Public Allies has opened up opportunities to develop my leadership skills, and getting an opportunity to hear from an exceptional leader like Michelle Obama is one I will cherish forever."