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Though the amount of criticism against current first lady Melania Trump is significantly lesser than the tidal wave of outrage constantly aimed at her husband, there are still many who miss former first lady Michelle Obama's outspoken activism, not to mention the mutual respect she seemed to share with President Barack Obama. On Wednesday, May 2, Michelle Obama visited Philadelphia where, speaking to a group of High School students at an event promoting higher education, she seemed to acknowledge the hole her absence from the national stage has left.
At the event, College Signing Day, Obama spoke to a cheering crowd, saying:
I know you have everything it takes to succeed. I know that you are me, and if I can be standing here as your forever first lady, then you can do anything you put your mind to.
The annual event began in 2014 as part of Michelle Obama's "Reach Higher" program, which aims "to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school." 8,000 students were in attendance for the event, and celebrities like Robert De Niro, Rebel Wilson, Bradley Cooper, Kelly Rowland, Ciara and Janelle Monae also spoke about the importance of higher education.
Bradley Cooper spoke to the attendees:
College was the most incredible experience of my life. It is up to you. You are the future. We are counting on you. Congratulations, it's an exciting time in your lives.
Though the phrase "forever first lady" had previously been used by Signing Day's host Nick Cannon, Obama used it to generate momentum for her message. Knowing a college education is no easy thing to achieve, she assured the crowd:
No one gets through college on their own.
The White House has not responded to Obama's new nickname, though even the former first lady's most fervent supporters recognize she can only retain the title in our hearts.