Michelle Obama returned to Dallas on Thursday and kicked off the next season of the #Hearhere series at the Winspear Opera House, though it’s unclear how the rest of the season will be able to follow her.

From the moment Obama walked onto the stage in a flowy orange jumpsuit, she had the audience wrapped around her finger. She kept the conversation mostly focused on how the world is not yet inclusive enough for young black girls, and she spoke about how she keeps herself above the negativity.

The Winspear crowd was unmistakably diverse. There were people of all races and ages, including a group of girls who came from the second iteration of the AT&T Performing Arts Center's Young Women's Leadership Conference, the same conference where Obama had surprised attendees last year. Next to me, a woman named Pat Johnson said she hoped Obama would talk about the state of the world today. I have a feeling much of the audience was thinking the same.

Leading the conversation with Obama was Matrice Ellis-Kirk, former first lady of Dallas, who managed to balance her questions well and kept it feeling like a casual conversation and not like a talk show, which had been my biggest criticism of previous #Hearhere shows. But to be clear, it was Obama who was doing all the heavy lifting. She answered questions so thoroughly and strongly, peppering in both inspirational and funny zingers. Her presence is more than what you can get from seeing her on television, and she has a way of telling it straight that sounds personal and raw.

Obama reflected on recently finishing her tour for Becoming, her memoir released in late 2018. She said many people loved hearing her story because they can relate to it. But it's not a story that is often told, simply because typically people like her — a black girl from a working-class family outside of Chicago — don't get to be the storytellers. She sees young people today who feel alone and different because of a society that can "otherize" each other so much.

Specifically, she said that young girls, especially nonwhite young girls, don’t see themselves adequately represented in society, and it creates a feeling that they “don’t belong in a country that was founded in belonging.” And when someone doesn’t value them and minimizes their worth, it’s not something wrong with you, she tells them. It’s something wrong with them.

Obama also took time to address the men and ask for their support, especially in the workplace. She noted that men still run the world, and they’re “not always doing a great job at it.” But she specifically told men to think about how they would want their workspaces to treat their daughters and encouraged them to be a part of making those changes that they want to see.

Former first lady Michelle Obama waved to the crowd as she made her way onstage during an event promoting her book, Becoming, at American Airlines Center in Dallas on Dec. 17. (Vernon Bryant / Staff Photographer)

Obama has such a distinct ability to capture an audience when she talks. And it seems her formula is to hit you with a hard truth, and then inspire the audience to overcome that challenge. She talks about being hopeful for the future instead of disappointed with the present, which I think is a thought that’s easy for people to latch on to.

No, Obama didn’t talk politics, as I had expected. But she came closer than I thought she would. She noted how it’s hard to keep cable news on at times and how easy it is to get sucked into the world of social media. But staying true to her saying, she reiterates that when “they go low, we go high,” and she cuts out some of the negativity by trying to remain empathetic to people who try to knock her down. She explained that going “high” is problem-solving and going “low” is complaining. And as far as complaining goes, we “shouldn’t do it on Twitter” — a comment that got many claps and felt like as much of a political nod that we were going to get.

Ellis-Kirk asked about the next chapters of her life, including her recent empty nest status with both daughters away at college. “They gone, y'all!” Obama quipped, and the audience roared. It’s safe to say that Obama seems to be looking forward to focusing more on herself and her husband — remember him? — in this next life chapter.

She spoke about how it was more common in her parents’ generation to see putting your family first and yourself last as a virtue, but she emphasized the importance of exercising, making time for yourself and not overscheduling. She will still be working and promoting service, but she emphasized that she and Barack eventually will be looking for replacements as the next generation steps up and she moves on to the “chill” chapter of her life.

Though it’s clear the Dallas audience hopes that chapter isn’t soon.