06/18/2026
Tomorrow, on Juneteenth, the Obama Presidential Center opens to the public, and the timing feels intentional in the best possible way. It has been over a decade in the making, the first presidential library to be entirely digital, and run by the Obama Foundation rather than the National Archives, giving it more freedom to tell its story on its own terms.
Located on Chicago’s South Side, it is as much a community hub as it is a landmark, with a public library branch, gardens, gathering spaces, and a museum chronicling one of the most remarkable presidencies in American history. I hope to visit it in the near future.
At today’s dedication ceremony, Michelle Obama gave a brilliant speech that has left me in awe.
The truth of this country doesn’t lie in grabbing as much as we can for ourselves, or knocking folks down to prop ourselves up. It lives in the overwhelming goodness, the relentless striving, the quiet dignity that is inside all of us.
Juneteenth is a day that asks us to reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. Former First Lady Obama’s words feel like both a comfort and a challenge.
