‘Empathy is our lifeline’: Michelle Obama’s moving documentary comes to Netflix next week 

After her best-selling 2018 memoir Becoming, Michelle Obama will star in a new Netflix documentary, which follows her amazing life story — from childhood in Chicago’s South Side to becoming First Lady to her new post-White House role as author, activist, and so much more

Netflix has released the trailer for Michelle Obama’s newest documentary, Becoming, which premiers on May 6.

Named for her best-selling 2018 memoir, the documentary will cover her life’s milestones: growing up in Chicago, becoming a Harvard-grad lawyer and mother of two, and her experience as the first ever African American First Lady of the United States.

The documentary will also feature behind-the-scenes footage of her recent 34-city book tour.

The importance of hope

“Those months I spent traveling — meeting and connecting with people in cities across the globe — drove home the idea that what we share in common is deep and real and can’t be messed with,” Obama said. 

“In groups large and small, young and old, unique and united, we came together and shared stories, filling those spaces with our joys, worries, and dreams. 

“We processed the past and imagined a better future. In talking about the idea of ‘becoming,’ many of us dared to say our hopes out loud.”

Directed by Nadia Hallgren (Oscar-nominated Trouble the Water), the former First Lady hopes her film will bring hope and “a sense of connection” during these troubling times.

“It’s hard these days to feel grounded or hopeful, but I hope that like me, you’ll find joy and a bit of respite in what Nadia has made,” she said.

“Even as we can no longer safely gather we need to stay open and able to put ourselves in other people’s shoes. Empathy is our lifeline here. 

“Even in hard times, our stories help cement our values and strengthen our connections. Sharing them shows us the way forward.”

Watch the full trailer for Becoming here:

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