Theo Ubabunike: Here’s What I Learned From Watching the Michelle Obama ‘Becoming’ Documentary on Netflix

NEW ORLEANS, LA – JUNE 22: Former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama discusses her forthcoming memoir titled, “Becoming”, during the 2018 American Library Association Annual Conference on June 22, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

It’s post-COVID-19 lockdown, but I am still working from home. This means that I still get to spend a curious amount of time binge-watching videos on YouTube and especially Netflix.

My taste in movies is quite the opposite of my taste in books. It is not cultured, eclectic or elite. I love cheesy movies; free of suspense and gun violence. I love simple plot stories, romcoms, happy endings. I also like movies that make me shed a good amount of tears.

I am also that person who always has a note pad and pencil handy when watching a movie or reading a book. I should probably call it my Book of Worldly Wisdom.

Anyway, a few days ago, after finishing the TV series, Orange is the New Black, I started looking for my next film or series. That’s when I saw Becoming. I squealed in delight, thinking ‘oh! They’ve finally made it into a movie’. It wasn’t a movie, it was a Netflix documentary about Michelle Obama on a tour for her best-selling memoir. Being a lover of all things Michelle Obama, I watched it anyway and took the liberty to pen down three quotes that stood out for me.

Quote 1: This quote was an answer to a question about dealing with invisibility as a black woman in America.

“…Invisibility starts here (in your heart). We cannot afford to wait for the world to be equal to start feeling seen. We’re far from it. Time will not allow it. It’s not going to happen with one president, one vote. So, you’ve got to find the tools within yourself to feel visible, and to be heard, and to use your voice…”

Quote 2: For this quote, I wrote down the question because I know it strikes a chord for many young people as it did for me too.

Q: “What advice would you give to someone who’s trying to avoid just becoming a stat? Like, when you go to college and you’re not just the kid with the 3.0 GPA. Or when you’re applying for jobs and you’re not just that person who graduated top of her class. How do you avoid becoming a number?”

A: “I think what makes you more than a stat is once you see yourself as more than a stat and you start thinking about ‘who you are’, ‘what do you care about?’ ‘What brings you joy?’ And I hope my story urges you to see the power of your story and to own that.”

Quote 3: This quote, for me, was the most profound.

“If we can open up a little bit more to each other and share our real stories, that’s what breaks down barriers. But in order to do that, you have to believe that your story has value. Be vulnerable. Dare to be vulnerable.”

I hope these quotes are as useful to you as they have been to me. You can also share quotes from movies that have touched you.