President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama both graced the stages of the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conferences & Festivals in Austin, Texas, the first POTUS and FLOTUS to ever do so. The year 2016 marks the 30 year mark for this annual conference which focus on technology, music, and film. A cultivator for innovative content, SXSW attracts an estimated 72,000 registrants and artists on average. President Obama presented the keynote address for SXSW Interactive and First Lady Michelle Obama presented the keynote address for SXSW Music along with Missy Elliot and songwriter, Diane Warren. President Barack Obama's and First Lady Michelle Obama's speeches focused on technology and gender equality, respectively, to an audience containing the movers and shakers of our generation.
President Barack Obama sat down with Evan Smith, CEO/Editor in Chief of the Texas Tribune, on Friday, Mar. 11, on the SXSW Interactive stage. President Obama called for the audience to use their expertise in technology and creativity to develop new ways in which technology could help for the United States of America, for example, using technology for raising political participation or for fighting climate change. President Obama also expressed how the technology industry can assist in the war on terror. Obama states, "It's not enough if we are going to defeat ISIL [an Islamic extremist terrorist group] just to take out their leadership or to control certain territories if in the virtual world. They are consistently reaching kids here in the United States or elsewhere in the world and recruiting them and twisting their minds to do terrible things. We got to be able to penetrate that". President Obama also continues on with explaining why he does not want to United States government to be the lead on that project. President Barack Obama's keynote address on the intersection of technology and politics was one of the first on its kind.
First Lady Michelle Obama sat down for a panel style discussion with Missy Elliot and songwriter, Diane Warren, on Wednesday, March 16th on the SXSW Music stage. Michelle Obama spoke about the intersectionality between music and social justice. She spoke specifically about her 'Let Girls Learn' initiative, promoting the education of all girls in all areas of the world. The initiative also included a song written by Warren entitled "This is For My Girls" with singers of the likes of Zendaya, Kelly Rowland, and Janelle Monáe featured on the track available for purchase on iTunes. Speaking on her role in social justice using the platform of First Lady of the United States, Obama stated "My goal has been to make sure that I don't waste it". Michelle Obama has taken her role of First Lady of the United States seriously by taking action and developing various initiative, but despite rumors forecasting a successful presidential campaign in her own future, she dispelled all rumors by proclaiming, "I will not run for president". Even though the full panel discussion is not yet released, here is a snippet.
The fact that President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are the first First couple to attend to attend the SXSW Conferences and Festival is actually a major example of the state of the young people in the United States. With President Obama encouraging the youth to become involved with technology and the security of the United States and Michelle encouraging the role of young men and women in the promotion and actual implementation of gender equality within United States policy and more, the Obama's see that the youth of America have the capacity to change the state of the Union. Instead of simply making an impersonal call for action video directed towards the young people of America, the Obama's came directly in the space of young people to have a conversation with them. This proves that the Obama's were the most personable couple to ever set foot into the White House and to actually engage in leading the country for all people. Not just Black or Hispanic people between the ages of 59 and 68. The Obama's understand that within the current youth of America are future educators, ambassadors, scientists, senators, and even the President of the United States. Instead of simply riding us off, the Obama's have taken note of the potential that the youth of the United States of America has. , The Obama's are a first couple unlike any other and they will be truly missed as they leave the White House once President Obama's term is over in January of 2017.
