Malia and Sasha Obama Showed Up Together at the Obama Presidential Center Opening and Everyone Noticed How Grown They Are
The Obama family had a big week in Chicago, and for once, all four of them showed up together.
The Obama Presidential Center officially opened on Jackson Park’s South Side, with the dedication ceremony held June 18 at John Lewis Plaza, followed by the public opening of the museum and campus the next day. More than a decade after leaving the White House, Malia and Sasha Obama returned to center stage for the celebration, alongside their parents.
Malia and Sasha have largely stayed out of the public spotlight since their White House years, but they made a rare public appearance, joining their parents onstage during the ceremony, with both daughters receiving praise in the speeches Michelle and Barack gave.
And the styles? Two completely different vibes. Malia, 27, wore a tonal look featuring a light gray blazer with wide arms, a cinched waist and a deep V-neck, paired with a darker miniskirt. Sasha, 25, opted for a white knit set with an asymmetric hem, an off-the-shoulder top, and a thick brown belt with a large rounded buckle, finishing the look with chunky metallic earrings and her braids styled half-up.
Michelle Obama got emotional talking about her girls. “To our daughters, Malia and Sasha, who will always be my babies. Even though we’re no longer playing hide and seek on the South Lawn with Beau or hosting sleepovers in the solarium, you both have grown into such brilliant and beautiful young women, making your way out there in the world,” she said during her remarks.
Here’s how much time has actually passed. Malia was 10 and Sasha was 7 when their father was first inaugurated in 2009. Now they’re both adults with their own careers and their own lives, largely lived away from cameras.
Since leaving Washington, Malia has quietly built a career in Hollywood, starting as a writer on Donald Glover’s series Swarm before moving into directing with her short film The Heart, which premiered at Sundance. She now works professionally under the name Malia Ann, a choice widely seen as her way of letting her work stand on its own.
Sasha has stayed even more private, reportedly living in Los Angeles near her sister after graduating from the University of Southern California with a sociology degree.
Barack Obama has spoken about how protective his daughters are of their independence, saying on The Pivot Podcast: “The challenge for us is letting us give them any help at all. I mean they’re very sensitive about this stuff. They’re very stubborn about it.”
As for who else showed up: celebrities including Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Gabrielle Union-Wade and Oprah Winfrey attended, with performances from U2’s Bono, Stevie Wonder, Tems, Bruce Springsteen and The Roots. Jennifer Hudson also performed. In a rare moment, three former presidents shared the same stage, with Republican George W. Bush and Democrats Bill Clinton and Joe Biden all joining Obama and his family.
A reunion, a tribute, and proof that the two girls who once played on the White House lawn have very much grown into their own people.
