Michelle Obama is adding another item to her long list of projects benefiting children. The former first lady is now partnering with PBS and Penguin Random House to launch a series of live reading sessions titled, Mondays with Michelle Obama.
The four-week program will feature the former first lady reading children's books and will be streamed live on the PBS Kids Facebook page and YouTube channel, as well as Penguin Random House’s Facebook page.
The 56-year-old will read one book every Monday, starting on April 20 and going until May 11. Viewers can also access the reading program videos immediately after the livestream.
“As a little kid, I loved to read aloud. And when I became a parent, I found such joy in sharing the magic of storytelling with my own children—and then later, as First Lady, with kids everywhere," Obama said in a statement.
Obama is especially hoping to make families' lives a little more enjoyable as they remain in the house because of the coronavirus.
"At this time when so many families are under so much stress, I’m excited to give kids a chance to practice their reading and hear some wonderful stories and to give parents and caretakers a much-needed break,” she said.
Obama will read The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson on April 20. She will continue on April 27, reading There's A Dragon In Your Book by Tom Fletcher. The schedule also includes Miss Maple's Seeds by Eliza Wheeler on May 4 and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle on May 11. All the live readings will start at noon ET.
Obama has been working tirelessly on behalf of children with the launch of programs to help them stay healthy and active. Obama’s Let's Move campaign works with families, schools and communities to provide a better lifestyle for children by sharing resources to help people eat healthily and exercise regularly. The program aims to ensure “access to healthy, affordable food in schools and communities, as well as increasing physical activity and empowering parents and caregivers with the information and tools they need to make good choices for themselves and their families.”
Obama has not only made a difference in the U.S. but also around the world with projects like the Let Girls Learn initiative. The campaign works with organizations such as the Department of the State, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Peace Corps to make sure girls around the world have access to education.
"A girl with an education can shape her own destiny, lift up her family, and transform her community," the program's website states. "That is why President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama launched Let Girls Learn, a U.S. government initiative aimed at helping adolescent girls attain a quality education that empowers them to reach their full potential."
Earlier this year, Obama left an encouraging message for a little Black girl who referred to herself as ugly in a video that went viral, as Blavity previously reported.
Obama was among a number of celebs to offer a show of support for 4-year-old Ariyonna.
“Ariyonna, you are gorgeous. In a world that sometimes tries to say otherwise, I want to tell you—and every other beautiful, intelligent, brave Black girl—just how precious you are," the children's advocate wrote.
