Michelle Obama says a White
woman 'cut right in front of her'
in a line—like she were invisible
The former first lady said the experience was "telling of how White America views people who are not like them."
By Chandni G September 1, 2020
Former first lady Michelle Obama recently launched a podcast on Spotify, in which she discusses her life in the White House and reflects on her journey. For fans of Obama who just could not get enough even after reading her bestselling memoir Becoming, the podcast has been a welcome treat. In her latest episode, she discussed what it was like to be "just a Black woman" in White America with guests Kelly Dibble, Denielle Pemberton-Heard, and Dr. Sharon Malone. She described one incident when she was waiting in line to order at a Häagen-Dazs with her two daughters and another Black woman, sans Secret Service. A White woman cut her off in the line, without a second thought, treating Obama as if she were invisible.
"What the White community doesn’t understand about being a person of color in this nation is that there are daily slights, in our workplaces where people talk over you, or people don’t even see you," she explained, before describing her own personal experience. "We were stopping to get ice cream, and I had told the Secret Service to stand back because we were trying to be normal, trying to go in [to a Häagen-Dazs]... There was a line, and when I’m just a Black woman, I notice that White people don’t even see me. They’re not even looking at me." Pemberton-Heard and both of Obama's daughters, in soccer uniforms, were with the former first lady when this incident took place.
She continued to share that a White woman cut right in front of the group to place her order. She said, "A White woman cuts right in front of us to order. Like, she didn’t even see us. And the girl behind the counter almost took her order. And I had to stand up because I know [Pemberton-Heard] was like, ‘Well, I’m not gonna cause a scene with Michelle Obama.'"
Do we really live in a time and age when the most powerful woman in the country has to introduce herself? Well, it appears so. "So I stepped up and I said, Excuse me?'" Obama went on. "I was like, 'You don’t see us four people standing right here, you just jumped in line?'" Apparently, the White woman had no idea that she had just cut Obama off in line. She did not apologize or look her in the eye either.
Obama stated, "All she saw was a Black person, or a group of Black people, or maybe she didn’t even see that, because we were that invisible. I can tell you a number of stories like that, when I’ve been completely incognito, during the eight years in the White House, walking the dogs on the canal... People will come up and pet my dogs, but will not look me in the eye. What White folks don’t understand is, like, that is so telling of how White America views people who are not like them. You know, we don’t exist. And when we do exist, we exist as a threat. And that—that’s exhausting."
If even the Michelle Obama could be treated as if she were invisible, take a moment to reflect on how other Black people, and people of color in general, feel in America today. If you have White privilege and witness an incident like this, but also notice that the person of color does not stand up for themselves, step in. You do not have to be a White savior but you can put your privilege to good use.
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I find this article very interesting. Michelle Obama is a real inspiration and I think that it is a good thing that she uses platforms like her podcast to talk about serious issues in America nowadays, such as the way people of color can be treated. To my mind, it's really sad to see that there are still people who think they are superior to others just because they don't share the same skin color. I believe you shouldn't judge a person by their skin or appearance in general but by getting to know them because we are all equal.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I think that Michelle Obama is a model for all of us because she has always used and she keeps using her power to defend and to fight for good causes. She is therefore a really respectable woman. Moreover, she was the first African-American first lady in the history of the United States. I thought that this status gave her undeniable respect but this is clearly not the case. Indeed, this article informs us that the USA is still the place of ruthless racism. It relates the podcast that Michelle Obama recently launched, in which she denounces discrimination against people of color in the USA. She tells that she was waiting in line with her two daughters and another Black woman to get ice-cream when a White woman cut her off the line as if they were invisible: she thus had to stand up. In this podcast, Obama says that it is far from being the only story like that. During the eight years in the White House, she had to deal with a lot of situations like this. I think this is alarming that a lot of White people ignore Black people because of their skin pigmentation. Furthermore, it is sad that the American first lady has to reveal her identity to be respected and that Black people are sometimes less considered than animals. Finally, I would not hesitate to stand up if this situation happened under my eyes.
Sorry, I made some mistakes:
Delete-« she tells us »
-« happens in front of me »
I personally love Michelle Obama because of her convincing personality and her actions taken for people. It is really disturbing to read this article because it made me realize that some people in America don’t even respect the former first lady as she’s a black woman. And it is sad to imagine how other black people would feel living in a society where having a dark tone is considered as a crime by some people. But, I am pleased that Michelle shared this ridiculous incident on the podcast because it highlights to the world the real face of some white people who don't treat everyone equally.
ReplyDeleteCorrection :
Delete-black people could feel
Firstly this article is very shocking. Indeed we know that in America in particular there is a lot of racism against black people and that continue over time.
ReplyDeleteWith he testimony, Michelle Obama tells us one of her stories that she lived as a black women. This shows us that even an important person like her how has championed so many great causes can be victim of racism.
It's a very important subject who doesn't concern only her but everyone.
So we must to do something to prevent this and we all have to react to these situations.
correction:
Delete-that continues
-this
-who has championed
- that doesn't concern can be victim of racism.
Michelle Obama is a really courageous woman, she’s independent and she fights for her rights. First of all she is a woman so she has to fight for women rights and that is what she did her whole life. But today racism is still a factor of discrimination and it shouldn’t be, it has been for so long. I think that it’s disgusting that in are society they are inequalities because of the tone of our skin, I can’t wrap my mind around it. Obama is such an iconic black woman, she is the symbol of equality. So what that white women just did should be punished because she is sadly not the only one who discriminates people for their skin color.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I want to say how much I’ve been touched by the violence of this testimony. The word “invisible” is very strong. For my part I couldn’t even imagine that in the 21st century people can be considered in terms of the color of their skin.
This testimony makes us think about our role of “white people” even if I never considered myself according to my skin color. Moreover, Michelle Obama is a real model for black American women and hearing this testimony they all automatically feel aware. I can hardly imagine what could happen to “standard” black people.
To conclude I find that sad at our time that persons can think that are superiors because they have a certain color of skin.
Sorry, I made a mistake:
Delete- that nowadays people can think themselves superiors
Sorry, I made a mistake:
Delete- that nowadays people can think themselves superiors
First of all this article is very astonishing especially in the 21st century. It's hard to read this shocking testimony and see that racism continues today. Michelle obama, a committed woman who defends her values, explains how whites disrespect blacks and despise them in the United States. Obama, in her podcast, tells us how a white woman ignored her and cut her off in the line as if she was invisible. It is sad to see how black community is treated just because they have a different skin color. I think it is important to know that even the first lady is discriminated against ; maybe by telling her story she will make some people aware of racism in the United States and enduce changes.
ReplyDeleteTo conclude if the first lady is treated like this, I can’t imagine what the other black people have to go through.
Hi.
ReplyDeleteFirst I find this text really well explained and I also think it's a really clever story to talk about. See, there's a lot of stories of Black people talking about what they are living through every single day. But in my mind, it's a smart move to talk about this incident in particular. White people usually tends to shut Black people's voices and won't even try to listen to them. I am pretty sure as a black woman, she could have talk about thousand of other stories and probably stories way more dark than this one. It truly shows that being black is exhausting in a daily life. It can be hurtful, it can be dangerous, it can even kill her but that's not it. It's also tiring.
Second, the fact that she used this one shows a lot. It's simple for everyone to understand not only for conservative people and racists but also for kids and teenagers. Everyone know what it feels like to be cut off in a line where we waits for minutes.
Third, it's also well thought, it's a podcast on Spotify which means nearly everyone can listen to it. It's made for every generations and i find it even more impactful that it's actually her who talks. She could have write it but she chose to actually talk about it.
Sorry for my mistakes:
Delete- darker
- every generations
- could have talked/everyone knows/she has been waiting/could have written
Hello,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I think Michelle Obama is a strong woman.
She shares a disturbing story, which is racist towards black people, which is not the only one she has experienced. She tells that when she went to get an ice cream with other black people, they felt like they were invisible: a white woman cut right in front of her in a line.
I think it's really sad that in 2021 there are still people who look down on others for the color of their skin. Michelle Obama shows that nowadays, black people are still victims of racism.
She denounces racism in her podcast. I think that making a podcast about this subject is a good idea. Moreover, she can express herself without the press distorting her words. Also, she can tell her story and speak up for black people. Many people listen to podcasts and can hear Michelle Obama's alarming story.
sorry i made a mistake :
Delete- she tells us
First, i find that this article is very important to show the discrimination affecting to black people in the US. It highlight the fact that racism steal exist nowday and it’s a shocking situation. Michelle Obama wants to criticize and rise our awarness on that point. She uses strong words like « invisible » to underline the disrespect of white people against people of colour. Recently we heard a lot of stories on the tensions between this two communities in the US with the mouvement Black lives matter.
ReplyDeleteSorry i made some mistakes:
Delete- highlights
- still/raise awareness
-thèse two communities mouvement
Hi
ReplyDeleteI find this testimony powerful and appalling.
First of all I admire Michelle Obama for her commitment against racism, discrimination, poverty and many other injustices.
Therefore in this article the former First Lady relates how rudely she was treated in a trivial situation showing that racism issues are still crucial nowadays in the US. Indeed this kind of incident , being treated as if you were invisible, is according to Michelle Obama a very common prejudice that colored people face in their daily lives.
Thus I am glad that Michelle Obama continues the fight for civil rights using new medias like her new podcast on Spotify.
This article is about the podcast that Michelle Obama has recently launched, in which she denounces the discrimination of victims of people of color in the United States.
ReplyDeleteI find it contemptuous and sad that in 2021 there are still people who think they are superior to others, it's serious to get there because of a skin color. We are all equal. We all have the same heart and we all share the same feelings. No one should feel bad about being different from others.
Let us love ourselves as we are !
This article relates the podcast that Michelle Obama recently launched, in which she denounces the discrimination of victims of people of color in the USA.
ReplyDeleteMichelle Obama is for me a great model for all of us because she has always used her power to defend and fight for good causes.
Yesterday morning, I think my best friend was with his family after work and later, after eating, he went to see some friends of his. Before he fell asleep, he called me. We are all equal. We all have the same heart and we all share the same feelings. No one should feel bad about being different.