Exclusive First Look at Michelle Obama’s Latest Podcast Episode “Girlfriends”

One of life’s greatest gifts is the opportunity for a second chapter. Unfortunately, it isn’t offered to all of us and even worse, some of us don’t always treat it correctly. But we are dealing with former First Lady Michelle Obama, and she’s just not the type of person who would fail to recognize a powerful moment for what it is.

All it took was reading the first few pages of her tell-all book “Becoming,” and you soon realize that the charming President who wooed the globe was built, in part, by her. But, I also feel like many women already knew this and I was just late to the party.

In her new venture, “The Michelle Obama Podcast,” a Spotify podcast produced in partnership with Higher Ground Productions – which was founded by former President Barack Obama and the former First Lady – she takes a breath and facilitates conversations. Given the life she’s lived, I also can’t imagine how these aren’t deeply therapeutic for her. Understandably, the inaugural episode was about her husband.

Her latest episode, “Girlfriends: A Lifeline Unlike Any Other,” was recorded shortly after the unnecessary death of George Floyd, a moment that has shifted us in so many ways it will take years to fully digest what the hell is actually going on. Joined by some of her closest girlfriends – Dr. Sharon Malone, Denielle Pemberton-Heard and Kelly Dibble – they unpack the delicate moments that surround them. They even dip into appreciation of one another and how their journeys, both individual and collective, have provided them with a deep foundation in a world that just loves to tilt.

What’s clear is that the concept of sanity throughout moments turbulent or not can be heavily impacted by the voices you have around you. It’s hard not to trail off into analyzing friendship from the perspective of First Lady Obama. When they reference the past 11 years, I’m like, “What were your last 11 years like?” with pure adulation and wonder.

But the truth is, having a space to just let the words free without feeling judgment is indispensable. I’ve always been consumed by who she specifically relies on for support and comfort on her journey. When President Obama gets on her nerves, like truly gets on them, who does she call? When her heart aches for how we all interact as humans, who does she turn to? Even without the White House attachment, this is a beautiful discussion about how a group of Black women work through it – whatever “it” is.

After all, First Lady Obama did say so herself, noting, “A group of good girlfriends provides a lifeline that is unlike any other.”

Listen to “Girlfriends: A Lifeline Unlike Any Other” and all other past episodes of “The Michelle Obama Podcast” exclusively on Spotify. For more on her book “Becoming,” click here. Follow the Former First Lady on Twitter and Instagram @michelleobama.