0:00:00.000,0:00:02.000
This is my first trip,

0:00:02.000,0:00:04.000
my first foreign trip as a first lady.

0:00:04.000,0:00:06.000
Can you believe that?

0:00:06.000,0:00:16.000
(Applause)

0:00:16.000,0:00:19.000
And while this is not my first visit to the U.K.,

0:00:19.000,0:00:24.000
I have to say that I am glad that this is my first official visit.

0:00:24.000,0:00:28.000
The special relationship between the United States and the U.K.

0:00:28.000,0:00:33.000
is based not only on the relationship between governments,

0:00:33.000,0:00:36.000
but the common language and the values that we share,

0:00:36.000,0:00:40.000
and I'm reminded of that by watching you all today.

0:00:40.000,0:00:44.000
During my visit I've been especially honored

0:00:44.000,0:00:47.000
to meet some of Britain's most extraordinary women --

0:00:47.000,0:00:50.000
women who are paving the way for all of you.

0:00:50.000,0:00:53.000
And I'm honored to meet you,

0:00:53.000,0:00:59.000
the future leaders of Great Britain and this world.

0:00:59.000,0:01:04.000
And although the circumstances of our lives may seem very distant,

0:01:04.000,0:01:08.000
with me standing here as the First Lady of the United States of America,

0:01:08.000,0:01:12.000
and you, just getting through school,

0:01:12.000,0:01:16.000
I want you to know that we have very much in common.

0:01:16.000,0:01:20.000
For nothing in my life's path

0:01:20.000,0:01:22.000
would have predicted that I'd be standing here

0:01:22.000,0:01:25.000
as the first African-American First Lady

0:01:25.000,0:01:27.000
of the United States of America.

0:01:27.000,0:01:32.000
There is nothing in my story that would land me here.

0:01:32.000,0:01:35.000
I wasn't raised with wealth or resources

0:01:35.000,0:01:39.000
or any social standing to speak of.

0:01:39.000,0:01:43.000
I was raised on the South Side of Chicago.

0:01:43.000,0:01:46.000
That's the real part of Chicago.

0:01:46.000,0:01:49.000
And I was the product of a working-class community.

0:01:49.000,0:01:53.000
My father was a city worker all of his life,

0:01:53.000,0:01:55.000
and my mother was a stay-at-home mom.

0:01:55.000,0:02:00.000
And she stayed at home to take care of me and my older brother.

0:02:00.000,0:02:03.000
Neither of them attended university.

0:02:03.000,0:02:06.000
My dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis

0:02:06.000,0:02:08.000
in the prime of his life.

0:02:08.000,0:02:11.000
But even as it got harder for him to walk

0:02:11.000,0:02:13.000
and get dressed in the morning --

0:02:13.000,0:02:15.000
I saw him struggle more and more --

0:02:15.000,0:02:19.000
my father never complained about his struggle.

0:02:19.000,0:02:21.000
He was grateful for what he had.

0:02:21.000,0:02:26.000
He just woke up a little earlier and worked a little harder.

0:02:26.000,0:02:29.000
And my brother and I were raised with all that you really need:

0:02:29.000,0:02:32.000
love, strong values

0:02:32.000,0:02:35.000
and a belief that with a good education

0:02:35.000,0:02:37.000
and a whole lot of hard work,

0:02:37.000,0:02:40.000
that there was nothing that we could not do.

0:02:40.000,0:02:44.000
I am an example of what's possible

0:02:44.000,0:02:48.000
when girls from the very beginning of their lives

0:02:48.000,0:02:53.000
are loved and nurtured by the people around them.

0:02:53.000,0:02:57.000
I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life:

0:02:57.000,0:03:02.000
grandmothers, teachers, aunts, cousins, neighbors,

0:03:02.000,0:03:06.000
who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.

0:03:06.000,0:03:11.000
And my mother, the most important role model in my life,

0:03:11.000,0:03:13.000
who lives with us at the White House

0:03:13.000,0:03:16.000
and helps to care for our two little daughters,

0:03:16.000,0:03:18.000
Malia and Sasha.

0:03:18.000,0:03:22.000
She's an active presence in their lives, as well as mine,

0:03:22.000,0:03:24.000
and is instilling in them

0:03:24.000,0:03:27.000
the same values that she taught me and my brother:

0:03:27.000,0:03:30.000
things like compassion, and integrity,

0:03:30.000,0:03:34.000
and confidence, and perseverance --

0:03:34.000,0:03:37.000
all of that wrapped up in an unconditional love

0:03:37.000,0:03:40.000
that only a grandmother can give.

0:03:40.000,0:03:44.000
I was also fortunate enough to be cherished and encouraged

0:03:44.000,0:03:49.000
by some strong male role models as well,

0:03:49.000,0:03:52.000
including my father, my brother, uncles and grandfathers.

0:03:52.000,0:03:57.000
The men in my life taught me some important things, as well.

0:03:57.000,0:04:00.000
They taught me about what a respectful relationship

0:04:00.000,0:04:04.000
should look like between men and women.

0:04:04.000,0:04:08.000
They taught me about what a strong marriage feels like:

0:04:08.000,0:04:11.000
that it's built on faith and commitment

0:04:11.000,0:04:15.000
and an admiration for each other's unique gifts.

0:04:15.000,0:04:17.000
They taught me about what it means

0:04:17.000,0:04:19.000
to be a father

0:04:19.000,0:04:21.000
and to raise a family.

0:04:21.000,0:04:23.000
And not only to invest in your own home

0:04:23.000,0:04:28.000
but to reach out and help raise kids

0:04:28.000,0:04:30.000
in the broader community.

0:04:30.000,0:04:32.000
And these were the same qualities

0:04:32.000,0:04:35.000
that I looked for in my own husband,

0:04:35.000,0:04:37.000
Barack Obama.

0:04:38.000,0:04:41.000
And when we first met,

0:04:41.000,0:04:45.000
one of the things that I remember is that he took me out on a date.

0:04:45.000,0:04:48.000
And his date was to go with him to a community meeting.

0:04:48.000,0:04:50.000
(Laughter)

0:04:50.000,0:04:52.000
I know, how romantic.

0:04:52.000,0:04:55.000
(Laughter)

0:04:55.000,0:04:57.000
But when we met, Barack was a community organizer.

0:04:57.000,0:05:01.000
He worked, helping people to find jobs

0:05:01.000,0:05:05.000
and to try to bring resources into struggling neighborhoods.

0:05:05.000,0:05:07.000
As he talked to the residents in that community center,

0:05:07.000,0:05:09.000
he talked about two concepts.

0:05:09.000,0:05:15.000
He talked about "the world as it is" and "the world as it should be."

0:05:15.000,0:05:19.000
And I talked about this throughout the entire campaign.

0:05:19.000,0:05:21.000
What he said, that all too often,

0:05:21.000,0:05:26.000
is that we accept the distance between those two ideas.

0:05:26.000,0:05:30.000
And sometimes we settle for the world as it is,

0:05:30.000,0:05:34.000
even when it doesn't reflect our values and aspirations.

0:05:34.000,0:05:37.000
But Barack reminded us on that day,

0:05:37.000,0:05:40.000
all of us in that room, that we all know

0:05:40.000,0:05:44.000
what our world should look like.

0:05:44.000,0:05:47.000
We know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like.

0:05:47.000,0:05:49.000
We all know.

0:05:49.000,0:05:51.000
And he urged the people in that meeting,

0:05:51.000,0:05:53.000
in that community,

0:05:53.000,0:05:56.000
to devote themselves to closing the gap

0:05:56.000,0:05:58.000
between those two ideas,

0:05:58.000,0:06:02.000
to work together to try to make the world as it is

0:06:02.000,0:06:06.000
and the world as it should be, one and the same.

0:06:06.000,0:06:09.000
And I think about that today because I am

0:06:09.000,0:06:13.000
reminded and convinced that all of you in this school

0:06:13.000,0:06:18.000
are very important parts of closing that gap.

0:06:18.000,0:06:23.000
You are the women who will build the world as it should be.

0:06:23.000,0:06:25.000
You're going to write the next chapter in history.

0:06:25.000,0:06:29.000
Not just for yourselves, but for your generation

0:06:29.000,0:06:32.000
and generations to come.

0:06:32.000,0:06:34.000
And that's why getting a good education

0:06:34.000,0:06:36.000
is so important.

0:06:36.000,0:06:39.000
That's why all of this that you're going through --

0:06:39.000,0:06:43.000
the ups and the downs, the teachers that you love and the teachers that you don't --

0:06:43.000,0:06:46.000
why it's so important.

0:06:46.000,0:06:49.000
Because communities and countries and ultimately the world

0:06:49.000,0:06:54.000
are only as strong as the health of their women.

0:06:54.000,0:06:56.000
And that's important to keep in mind.

0:06:56.000,0:07:02.000
Part of that health includes an outstanding education.

0:07:02.000,0:07:07.000
The difference between a struggling family and a healthy one

0:07:07.000,0:07:10.000
is often the presence of an empowered woman

0:07:10.000,0:07:13.000
or women at the center of that family.

0:07:13.000,0:07:16.000
The difference between a broken community and a thriving one

0:07:16.000,0:07:20.000
is often the healthy respect between men and women

0:07:20.000,0:07:25.000
who appreciate the contributions each other makes to society.

0:07:25.000,0:07:28.000
The difference between a languishing nation

0:07:28.000,0:07:30.000
and one that will flourish

0:07:30.000,0:07:34.000
is the recognition that we need equal access to education

0:07:34.000,0:07:36.000
for both boys and girls.

0:07:36.000,0:07:41.000
And this school, named after the U.K.'s first female doctor,

0:07:41.000,0:07:47.000
and the surrounding buildings named for Mexican artist Frida Kahlo,

0:07:47.000,0:07:49.000
Mary Seacole,

0:07:49.000,0:07:53.000
the Jamaican nurse known as the "black Florence Nightingale,"

0:07:53.000,0:07:56.000
and the English author, Emily Bronte,

0:07:56.000,0:08:00.000
honor women who fought sexism, racism and ignorance,

0:08:00.000,0:08:05.000
to pursue their passions to feed their own souls.

0:08:05.000,0:08:08.000
They allowed for no obstacles.

0:08:08.000,0:08:12.000
As the sign said back there, "without limitations."

0:08:12.000,0:08:14.000
They knew no other way to live

0:08:14.000,0:08:17.000
than to follow their dreams.

0:08:17.000,0:08:22.000
And having done so, these women

0:08:22.000,0:08:24.000
moved many obstacles.

0:08:24.000,0:08:26.000
And they opened many new doors

0:08:26.000,0:08:29.000
for millions of female doctors and nurses

0:08:29.000,0:08:32.000
and artists and authors,

0:08:32.000,0:08:34.000
all of whom have followed them.

0:08:34.000,0:08:37.000
And by getting a good education,

0:08:37.000,0:08:41.000
you too can control your own destiny.

0:08:41.000,0:08:44.000
Please remember that.

0:08:44.000,0:08:48.000
If you want to know the reason why I'm standing here,

0:08:48.000,0:08:51.000
it's because of education.

0:08:51.000,0:08:55.000
I never cut class. Sorry, I don't know if anybody is cutting class.

0:08:55.000,0:08:57.000
I never did it.

0:08:57.000,0:08:59.000
I loved getting As.

0:08:59.000,0:09:01.000
I liked being smart.

0:09:01.000,0:09:05.000
I liked being on time. I liked getting my work done.

0:09:05.000,0:09:10.000
I thought being smart was cooler than anything in the world.

0:09:10.000,0:09:12.000
And you too, with these same values,

0:09:12.000,0:09:14.000
can control your own destiny.

0:09:14.000,0:09:17.000
You too can pave the way.

0:09:17.000,0:09:19.000
You too can realize your dreams,

0:09:19.000,0:09:23.000
and then your job is to reach back

0:09:23.000,0:09:27.000
and to help someone just like you do the same thing.

0:09:27.000,0:09:30.000
History proves that it doesn't matter

0:09:30.000,0:09:32.000
whether you come from a council estate

0:09:32.000,0:09:34.000
or a country estate.

0:09:34.000,0:09:36.000
Your success will be determined

0:09:36.000,0:09:39.000
by your own fortitude,

0:09:39.000,0:09:43.000
your own confidence, your own individual hard work.

0:09:43.000,0:09:47.000
That is true. That is the reality of the world that we live in.

0:09:47.000,0:09:50.000
You now have control over your own destiny.

0:09:50.000,0:09:55.000
And it won't be easy -- that's for sure.

0:09:55.000,0:09:57.000
But you have everything you need.

0:09:57.000,0:10:00.000
Everything you need to succeed,

0:10:00.000,0:10:03.000
you already have, right here.

0:10:03.000,0:10:07.000
My husband works in this big office.

0:10:07.000,0:10:10.000
They call it the Oval Office.

0:10:10.000,0:10:12.000
In the White House, there's the desk that he sits at --

0:10:12.000,0:10:15.000
it's called the Resolute desk.

0:10:15.000,0:10:19.000
It was built by the timber of Her Majesty's Ship Resolute

0:10:19.000,0:10:22.000
and given by Queen Victoria.

0:10:22.000,0:10:27.000
It's an enduring symbol of the friendship between our two nations.

0:10:27.000,0:10:29.000
And its name, Resolute,

0:10:29.000,0:10:33.000
is a reminder of the strength of character that's required

0:10:33.000,0:10:35.000
not only to lead a country,

0:10:35.000,0:10:40.000
but to live a life of purpose, as well.

0:10:40.000,0:10:44.000
And I hope in pursuing your dreams, you all remain resolute,

0:10:44.000,0:10:47.000
that you go forward without limits,

0:10:47.000,0:10:52.000
and that you use your talents -- because there are many; we've seen them;

0:10:52.000,0:10:54.000
it's there --

0:10:54.000,0:10:58.000
that you use them to create the world as it should be.

0:10:58.000,0:11:01.000
Because we are counting on you.

0:11:01.000,0:11:03.000
We are counting on every single one of you

0:11:03.000,0:11:06.000
to be the very best that you can be.

0:11:06.000,0:11:08.000
Because the world is big.

0:11:08.000,0:11:10.000
And it's full of challenges.

0:11:10.000,0:11:14.000
And we need strong, smart, confident young women

0:11:14.000,0:11:16.000
to stand up and take the reins.

0:11:16.000,0:11:20.000
We know you can do it. We love you. Thank you so much.

0:11:20.000,0:11:27.000
(Applause)