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michelle obama

Autumn de Forest

Autumn de Forest stands before a sign with her name on it

When Autumn de Forest was 5, she picked up a paintbrush for the first time. It wasn't long before she was ready to show the world what she could do.

After a year of practice, the then-6-year-old asked her father if he could get her a booth at a local art-in-the-park program. "People would come up to the booth, and they would talk to my father, and they'd say, 'This is great!'" she said. "Apparently they thought it was Take Your Daughter to Work Day."

Almost everyone thought the artwork was her father's. And when they found out that tiny Autumn was the artist, people couldn't believe their eyes.


art, kids, art genius, kid genius Autumn created this piece when she was just 5 years old. Autumn de Forest

Soon, Autumn rose to national fame.

When Autumn was 8, she was featured on the Discovery Health Channel. There was a slew of media attention in the years that followed. There was Disney. There was The Today Show. There was Wendy Williams. She was called a child genius, a prodigy, and an expert painter.


autumn deforest, art, kids, paintingSoon, Autumn rose to national fame.Autumn Deforest


Suddenly, Autumn de Forest was everywhere.

But not everyone was so accepting of the young artist and her work. Some people in the art world had ... questions. Sure, she was good for a kid. But was her art actually good? Others wondered if the whole thing might be an elaborate hoax.

Autumn decided not to listen.

By 14 she developed a startlingly organized daily routine that went far beyond a 9 to 5.

Somehow, as the focus on her age begins to wear off, Autumn's work ethic and art only grow stronger. She said that most days, she'd wake up in her parents' Las Vegas home at 7:30 a.m. After breakfast, she'd break out her supplies for a one- or two-hour painting session. From there, she dove into her school work. Most brick-and-mortar schools can't accommodate her travel schedule, so she did the majority of her schooling online.

Before dinner, it's back into the studio.

"That session can last much longer, that can be three or four hours when I really get into it," she said. "Then I probably have dinner and go to bed."

kids, painting, artistic genius, paintings, kid artists Autumn de Forest paints Autumn de Forest


The results? They speak for themselves.

Autumn de Forest, painting, art, kids, prodigy An Autumn de Forest painting Autumn de Forest

Her work has been displayed in galleries and exhibitions all over the world.

Autumn held a public demonstration before a showing at The Butler Institute of American Art.

Autumn de Forest, painting, kids, artAn Autumn de Forest painting Autumn de Forest

In 2015, Autumn received the International Giuseppe Sciacca Award in Painting and Art.

The award took her to the Vatican for a private showing of her artwork with the pope.


She's also worked with the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, headed up by former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Autumn de Forest, the Pope, Pope Francis, painting, artAutumn de Forest stands with the Pope who looks at one of her paintings Autumn de Forest

As part of the program, de Forest traveled to underprivileged schools around the country and led painting workshops. Oh, and if you're looking for some hard numbers to attach to Autumn's talent, she's got those, too.

Her paintings raked in over $7 million at auctions by the time she was a teenager — fetching as much as $25,000 each — much of which has gone directly to charities and disaster relief funds.


At 23-years-old now, what's Autumn de Forest up to lately?

Autumn de Forest, painting, art, kidsAutumn de Forest works with other young painters Autumn de Forest

A lot!

The transition from child prodigy to respected artist has kept her busy.

In 2017, the Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center in Hendersonville, Tennessee hosted a major solo exhibition for de Forest titled "Her White Room: The Art of Autumn de Forest."

That same year, de Forest was listed as one of Teen Vogue's "21 Under 21." In her profile she was praised for her talent as well as her commitment to art education.

"In dis­advantaged schools, they consider the arts an extracur­ricular activity," she told Teen Vogue. "It's devastating, as there could be child prodigies in these schools, but they don't know that they have this God-­given gift because they're not given the opportunity because there's nearly no art programs in schools."

In 2018, de Forest was featured in the music video for the song "Youth" by best-selling recording artists Shawn Mendes and Khalid. The video highlights exceptional young people working to change the world, including de Forest, Emma González, and Elias and Zion Phoenix.

The video has over 17 million plays on YouTube.

And of course, Autumn continues to share her absolutely incredible artwork on Instagram and in shows and exhibitions around the globe.

The Autumn de Forest Foundation, helps her keep track of the kids she's met throughout the years and to continue to help them with their art careers.

A portion of the foundation's money goes to a 529 account set up for the students while 10% goes to them directly.

"A lot of these kids that I work with, they're not very old, they're in second grade, third grade, fourth grade. Maybe in 10 years, they may only have four or five thousand dollars but that could be the difference between them going to college or not," Autumn told Teen Vogue.

Autumn's incredible rise in the art world is an astonishing feat for someone who's still in her teens. But that accomplishment is easily matched by her generosity and commitment to helping develop tomorrow's prodigies as well.

For more information, visit the Autumn de Forest Foundation.


This article originally appeared nine years ago.

For eight years, Michelle Obama had a front row seat to the U.S. presidency. Perhaps more than any other citizen, she's seen what that job entails and what the character of the person holding that office means for their ability to do the job.

As the world's most admired woman several years running, Obama has an audience. And though she's famously detached from the nitty gritty world of politics, she has the first-hand experience to offer some words of wisdom. Today, she's done just that.

In a 26-minute video posted to social media, Obama makes a "closing argument" for ending the Trump presidency and opening a new chapter of decency and calm with Joe Biden. In it, she lays out where we are in this crazy, chaotic moment and explains how the president has contributed to getting us here. "Let's be honest," she says. "The country is in chaos because of a president who isn't up to the job."

She also lays out reasons for voting for Biden, whom she calls "a leader who has the character and the experience to put an end to this chaos, start solving these problems and help lighten the load for families all across the country."


It's clear that the former First Lady filmed the video prior to the president contracting COVID-19, as she doesn't mention the diagnosis (or the irresponsible insanity that has followed) in it. She also shared this message on Facebook with the video:

"I understand if the last few days have felt like a whirlwind. My heart goes out to everyone touched by this virus—from those in the White House, especially the Secret Service and residence staff whose service to this country ought never be taken for granted, to all those across the country whose names and stories most of us will unfortunately never know.

The truth is, the events of the past few days are a bracing reminder of the tragedy that has been this administration's response to this crisis. And I'll be very honest: This is a message I'd planned to release earlier, and after everything that's happened, I weighed whether or not to go public at all. But I wanted you all to hear what's been on my mind. Because the drama of the past few days has only emphasized what's at stake in this election, from the coronavirus to a constant drumbeat of fear, division, and chaos that's threatening to spiral out of control. There's only one way we can pull ourselves out—by voting for my friend Joe Biden, who's got the heart, the experience, and the character to lead us to better days.

So I hope you'll watch, and I hope you'll share this video with everyone you know who might still be deciding how or if they're going to vote. And more than anything, I hope you'll vote for Joe with power, with passion, and with a love of this country that cannot possibly be denied."

Michelle Obama's Closing Argument | Joe Biden For President 2020youtu.be

There's a lot of compelling stuff in there, but here are some highlights worth revisiting.

On Trump's values:

"A president's policies are a direct reflection of their values and we're seeing that truth on display with our current president who has devoted his life to enriching himself, his family and other wealthy people he truly understands, cutting taxes for the rich and big corporations, cutting regulations that protect regular families from getting taken advantage of by people like him, cutting his friends loose from prison time. He boasts about gains in the stock market, but when you look at the lives of regular folks, whether it's creating blue-collar jobs, making healthcare more affordable, protecting the environment, keeping our family safe from gun violence, let alone the coronavirus, there's nothing much to brag about."

On Biden's values:

"By contrast, Joe Biden has lived his life guided by values and principles that mirror ones that most Americans can recognize. I know Joe. He is a good man who understands the struggles of everyday folks. When he was a kid, his dad lost his job. His family had to move to find work. As a young man, he quit his job at a lucrative law firm to serve as a public defender protecting the rights of those who couldn't defend themselves.

He continued to serve this country, even in the face of unimaginable tragedy, losing his wife and baby daughter, later in his life, his eldest son. Relying on his deep faith in God to carry him through, never growing cynical and always willing to see the humanity in us all. It is that spirit, that determination that will make Joe the kind of president we need right now, one who will continue to put the needs of the country before his own to ensure that all families can get back on their feet and our economy can get back on track."

On how Biden will help the nation recover from the pandemic:

"He'll start by getting this virus under control, working with a broad coalition of leaders to develop a national strategy that will include mandatory mask wearing and free testing. He'll get schools the resources they need to sort through this confusion. He will listen to doctors and scientists to make sure that any vaccine will be safe, effective and available to everyone.

Joe Biden will also get back to work solving problems that this president has ignored or made worse these past four years. Joe will give working families a tax credit for childcare. He'll roll back those tax cuts for the rich and instead help small businesses and working families. He'll lower the cost of prescription drugs and give every American access to affordable health coverage. He'll work to restore trust between police and communities of color and address the racial discrimination that has plagued us for far too long. He will protect our planet. He will invest in our schools and bring people together to get something done, even across our differences."

On thinking beyond partisanship with your vote:

"I want to ask every single American, no matter what party you normally vote for, to please take a moment to pause. Click off the news. Think about how you felt over these last four years, how quickly things have turned and then think about what next four years could mean for our country's future, the message we will send to our children about who we are and what we truly value. Think about what would possibly compel you to accept this level of chaos, violence, and confusion under this president and be willing to watch our country continue to spiral out of control. Because we can no longer pretend that we don't know exactly who and what this president stands for."

On bringing competence and maturity back to the White House and ending the chaos:

"Right now, we've got a chance to start getting things back under control, to restore some stability and integrity and soul in this country. It is within our grasp. That's what keeps me going, thinking about a time not all that far off, with a new president in the Oval Office, a trustworthy, honest, stable leader with a clear plan for controlling this virus and getting our economy back on track. With meaningful support for families and schools, with competence and maturity instead of chaos and confusion. It is possible. It really is, but only if we vote for Joe Biden in this election. We have all been working so hard to keep ourselves and our families afloat and we deserve a president who will do the same."

Please vote, and vote early if possible. Visit vote.org to register to vote and find out about voting deadlines in your state.

via US Secretary of Defense / Flickr

It's understandably difficult for many Americans to muster up much sympathy for President Trump right now. As the leader of the country, his downplaying of COVID-19 led to tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths.

So to see him fall victim to the disease he helped perpetuate feels a lot like karmic retribution.

He's also been callous when it comes to separating children from their families at the border, sent messages of support for white supremacists, and openly admitted to sexually assaulting women.


It can be a little difficult to feel any sympathy for the First Lady as well. Recently leaked audio shows her making callous comments about children separated for their families at the border.

To be internally conflicted about complex events is to be human. But, in the end, it's always best to be the bigger person and err on the side of decency — as hard as that may be.

As Michelle Obama once said, "When they go low, we go high." Unfortunately, that's not a road a lot of people are taking right now on social media. It may be a big relief for many to post "I told you so" on Facebook or to take a gleeful stab at the president in a moment of schadenfreude.

But all that does is bring you down to the president's level.

I see it already, tweets from supporters of the president saying that all that "we go high" stuff was just a front. That it was just a veil to cover up for pettiness and jealousy.

Gleeful tweets about the First Family's health stand in stark contrast to the reason tens of millions of people have fought back against this presidency: a belief in decency.

We care about people's health. We care about the country's most vulnerable. We care about human decency.

Some of the president's harshest critics have come out to send messages of support to him and the First Lady at a time when it's incredibly easy and satisfying to take a shot. That's because they're living the values that led them to despise the president.

Actress Alyssa Milano chastised President Trump a few days ago for politicizing the virus.


Rachel Maddow has been one of the strongest voices in making the case for impeachment over the Russia scandal.

Trump's opponent Joe Biden recently said he's "downright un-American."


Bernie Sanders accused Trump of attempting to "undermine Democracy."


Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York recently said that Trump "better have an army" if he comes into his city.


Jamie Lee Curtis once criticized Trump for making inappropriate comments about her "Parent Trap" co-star Lindsay Lohan.


Democratic Representative Adam Schiff has been one of Trump's harshest critics and has openly called for his removal from office.

Former Democratic presidential frontrunner Pete Buttigieg called Trump the "least qualified" of all 2020 candidates.


One day this presidency is going to end and, hopefully, it's in a few months. Why not our collective reaction to the health of the president and his wife be one final way to display a decency they never could.

Michelle Obama's words still matter: "You don't stoop to their level," she said. "Our motto is when they go low, we go high." That motto has served as a north star for millions of Americans over the past four years, let's follow it 'til the end.

ABC World news Tonight / Twitter

The Class of 2020 has to feel massively let down this time of year. After working so hard to reach the finish line, most won't be able to attend a public graduation ceremony. They'll also miss out on traditional graduation events such as prom, banquets, senior ditch day, and baccalaureate.

To help make graduation day feel like less of a drag, California high school senior Lincoln Debenham tweeted Barack Obama last month asking him to give a speech to the nation's 2020 graduating class to make up for the lost ceremony.



"I'm saddened by the loss of milestone events, prom & graduation," Lincoln wrote. "In an unprecedented time, it would give us great comfort to hear your voice. We ask you to consider giving a national commencement speech to the class of 2020."

Then he started the hashtag #ObamaCommencement2020 .

This created a groundswell on social media for Barack and Michelle Obama to deliver commencement speeches. Who better to send the Class of 2020 out into the real world? According to Gallup, the Obamas are the most admired man and woman in the world.

Well, it looks like Lincoln and countless other graduates are going to get their wish.

The Obamas are set to deliver a virtual commencement celebration for graduates from high school, university or "any other kind of school," Michelle Obama tweeted Tuesday. The special will take place on YouTube on June 6, 2020, and is called "Dear Class of 2020."

The special will also feature appearances by Lady Gaga, BTS, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and activist Malala Yousafzai.

"I've always loved joining commencements––the culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice," Barack Obama wrote on Twitter. "Even if we can't get together in person this year, Michelle and I are excited to celebrate the nationwide Class of 2020 and recognize this milestone with you and your loved ones."

In addition to the YouTube special, Barack Obama will deliver a virtual commencement speech for graduates from historically black colleges and universities as well. On May 16, he will also appear on a television special for high school graduates that will air across the major TV networks.

Lincoln was understandably excited to hear the announcement.

There hasn't been similar clamoring from graduates to hear from the current president. A search of #TrumpCommencement2020 yields about five people who think Trump should speak to the graduating class.


As Barack Obama said on Twitter he is pretty fond of giving commencement speeches. Here's one from Rutgers in 2016 where he gave some advice that's just as good in 2020.


President Obama Delivers the Rutgers University Commencement Addresswww.youtube.com