First lady extends her focus on children beyond US borders with Mexico trip

First lady extends her children’s agenda beyond US

MEXICO CITY — It’s all about the children for Michelle Obama, and not just her own two growing girls.

On her first solo trip outside the U.S. as first lady, Obama announced an international agenda of inspiring the world’s young people to become active in their communities and help solve persistent global problems.

During her two-day trip to Mexico’s capital city, which ended Thursday, children were part of her focus.

At an elementary school where the pupils welcomed her with song and dance, Mrs. Obama clasped hands with boys and girls in a circle and danced, swaying her hips from side to side and jumping when they did — all while clad in a green, purple and yellow Diane von Furstenberg wraparound dress — hardly any woman’s average workout outfit.

Her tour of the National Museum of Anthropology ended with performances by the National Children’s Chorus and the Carlos Chavez Youth Symphonic Orchestra.

She unveiled her international agenda during a speech to a crowd of several thousand young adults packed into the sun-splashed courtyard of the Universidad Iberoamericana, an elite Jesuit university.

On Thursday, the first lady closed the trip with a breakfast meeting and round-table discussion with a dozen of Mexico’s student leaders, or its “movers and shakers” as she described them. A group of boys and girls serenaded her at the airport before she flew to an appearance in San Diego prior to her return to the White House.

At home in the U.S., she’s campaigning to turn back the rising tide of childhood obesity — encouraging children to eat better by choosing fresh fruits and vegetables over fatty snacks and sugary drinks. She’s also talking to them about getting plenty of exercise and studying hard at school.

Now, Mrs. Obama is taking it global.

She will travel more internationally, alone and with President Barack Obama, to tell the world’s young people as she did in Wednesday’s speech that the world soon will be looking to them to lead the way to the future.

“I believe that all of you — and your peers around the world — are more ready than ever to meet these challenges,” the first lady said in the remarks, which were translated as she spoke and broadcast live across Mexico.

Mrs. Obama made children a focus of hers practically from Day One.

She’s a mother, for starters, of daughters Malia and Sasha. Many previous first ladies also have promoted children’s causes.

Since becoming first lady, Mrs. Obama has made it a practice to involve students, including those from some of Washington, D.C.’s hard-luck neighborhoods, in almost every undertaking at the White House.

Students helped plant, harvest and even eat the vegetables in her garden. They got lessons from professional musicians brought in for a series of music events at the White House. They learned about the hard work and attention to detail that goes into planning a state dinner; the next one is set for May 19 in Mexico’s honor.

Despite hectic schedules, Mrs. Obama and top members of her staff also mentor young women.

“We have seen time and again that potential can be found in some of the most unlikely places. My husband and I are living proof of that,” she said in the speech.

She grew up on the South side of Chicago while her husband was raised in Indonesia and Hawaii. Neither came from families of privilege or wealth. Her parents were not college-educated. He barely knew his father and was raised by his mother, who often had difficulty making ends meet.

People expected little from them because of their backgrounds, Mrs. Obama has said.

“Back when we were young, no one could have predicted that one day we would become the president and first lady of the United States of America,” she said, previewing her message to the world’s young people.