Former first lady Michelle Obama and Women’s Foundation of Colorado President Lauren Casteel in Denver on July 25, 2017 (Jason Bahr/Getty Images for the Women’s Foundation of Colorado)

Former first lady Michelle Obama was a breath of fresh air Tuesday at a live armchair conversation with the Women’s Foundation of Colorado President Lauren Casteel in Denver. Poised and graceful as always, Obama still touched on some tough topics and spoke out frankly about the hurt she felt from the racist attacks she received while in the White House.


“The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut,” Obama said when Casteel asked her about the trials of being the first black first lady, according to the Denver Post. “Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won’t see me for what I am because of my skin color.”

While her husband served as president of the United States, Obama was at the center of hateful, merciless attacks and comments. She was called an ape (and everything in between but a child of God), her body size and type were made fun of ... the list goes on and on.


But the ever-classy former FLOTUS, who reminded us all that “when they go low, we go high,” also reminded the women around her and around the world that despite the adversity they face, they can still hold on to their power.

“Women, we endure those cuts in so many ways that we don’t even notice we’re cut,” she said. “We are living with small tiny cuts, and we are bleeding every single day. And we’re still getting up.”

Preach, Auntie Shellie! (And please come back.)

Read more at the Denver Post.