In these dark times, we could all use a little more joy and guidance in our lives — a new season of Queer Eye, or perhaps some candid motivation from the Obamas. Former First Lady Michelle Obama has heard our prayers and is finally delivering just that. After dedicating her life to building a better world by creating space for young people — and penning her best-selling book Becoming — Obama is now focusing her efforts to support first-generation college students in a new and inspiring series for Instagram TV.
The IGTV series will target young people first and foremost, with the goal of helping them to plan and prepare for college. Aptly titled A Year of Firsts, the show will take viewers through the experiences of different first-generation students as they learn how to navigate freshman year. It’s especially personal to Michelle Obama, considering that she herself was a first-generation student who had to learn the ins and outs of entering higher education.
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“As a first-generation college student myself, I know how intimidating it can be to take that leap and pursue your educational dreams,” Obama said in a statement announcing the show. “That’s why I’m so proud of these students. By sharing their stories, they’re helping others see that the ups and downs of the first year of college are something everyone goes through — and they’re creating a supportive community for others facing similar challenges.”
A Year of Firsts is being produced by ATTN: in partnership with Reach Higher, the initiative that Michelle founded while at the White House. The aim of the show will follow the organisation’s purpose — to inspire and support students to pursue higher education, no matter their background. In a trailer released on Tuesday morning on Instagram, Obama gave a sneak peek into the format of the series and what to expect.
The trailer shows the four students, Regan, Haseeb, Linette, and Robert, who will be highlighted and shown documentary-style, going about their lives. The trailer paints the picture of a chaotic freshman year from a new perspective — between downing coffee and running to study sessions or part-time jobs. It provides a level of insight for those who don’t know what college might look like, which seems to be the overall aim of the production's intent.
Besides launching this series, Obama was most recently named 2019’s “most admired woman,” after coming off her book tour. It looks like there’s no stopping her when it comes to doing what she cares about — and she’ll keep pushing to find unique ways to provide resources to students. A Year of Firsts is set to debut on IGTV by mid-January with six episodes.
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