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Michelle Obama shared a message for Juneteenth, reminding voters to participate in their elections© Jackson Lee

WATCH: Michelle Obama encourages voters on Juneteenth; 'Make your voice heard'

Obama took the holiday to encourage voters to exercise their rights as Americans


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
JUNE 20, 2024 5:39 PM EDT

Michelle Obama is taking Juneteenth to remind voters of their rights. In a video shared on social media, Obama reminded her followers of the importance of voting and making their voices heard, all of which are some of the rights of living in a democracy. 

Michelle Obama's message for Juneteenth
View post on Instagram
 

Obama shared a video statement on social media, sharing with her followers the importance of the holiday and how it should serve as a reminder to participate in the elections and register to vote."Do not sit on the sidelines this year" she warns in the clip. "This is a critical moment for all of us."

In the caption, Obama explained a bit of what Juneteenth celebrates. "On Juneteenth, we celebrate our freedom, our resilience, and our progress. Today we’re honoring all the Black folks who came before us – who helped build our country with their bare hands – who marched and fought to do everything they could to build a better future for us all,"  reads her caption. Juneteenth is a holiday that was adopted a couple of years ago in acknowledgment of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. 

Over the past, Obama has shared some of the importance of Juneteenth, particularly in the fact that the emancipation of enslaved people in America took several years to be fully embraced. "What I love about Juneteenth is that even in that extended wait, we still find something to celebrate," she said on a previous occasion. "Even though the story has never been tidy, and Black folks have had to march and fight for every inch of our freedom, our story is nonetheless one of progress."

US-CHRISTMAS-TREE-OBAMA© GettyImages
Sasha and Malia Obama have zero interest in politics

Will Sasha and Malia Obama get involved with politics in the future? 

Earlier this month, Barack Obama revealed that his daughters, Sasha and Malia, didn't have much of an interest in politics. In an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Obama was asked if his daughters would make good presidents.

“That is a question I do not need to answer because Michelle drilled into them so early that you would be crazy to go into politics,” he said. "It’ll never happen.”