Photo credit: Chuck Kennedy
Imagine getting a surprise visit from Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey – at the same time. That’s exactly what happened to a group of 30 high school girls back in September when they were invited to the Hearst Tower in New York, where the headquarters of “O, The Oprah Magazine” is located.
Coming from New York non-profits Harlem Children’s Zone, Uncommon School Group, and the GrassROOTS SuperGirls Society, the girls entered the Hearst Tower under the impression that they were there to give the magazine “a younger generation’s perspective on politics ahead of the midterm elections,” wrote Arianna Davis, the Digital Director of OprahMag.com.
Little did they know, the interview that they were instructed to watch of Oprah and Mrs. Obama was actually being streamed live. Which meant that the two powerhouses were in the same building gearing up to give them a surprise of a lifetime. Watch the beautiful moment unfold below.
“I will never, for as long as I live, forget the looks on those girls’ faces,” Davis shared. “It was similar to how I felt just being in the presence of a First Lady I idolize—and watching her sit down for an interview with another legend I idolize. But able to deliver such a surprise to those young girls was an honor. Every tearful teen in the room reminded me of my younger self: A brown girl searching for powerful women who look like her for advice, inspiration—and hope.”
And for that, we say thank you to Oprah and Mrs. Obama for constantly showing young girls who look like them that they can become anything.
PS: Tune into OWN tonight at 8/7c to watch Oprah’s sit-down with Michelle Obama.