It was a rare and special family appearance: Malia (27) and Sasha Obama (25) appeared on Thursday together with their parents, former U.S. President Barack Obama (64) and former First Lady Michelle Obama (62), at the ceremonial opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
Before the eyes of numerous prominent guests, the two Obama daughters took the stage at the new cultural and educational center on the South Side of Chicago. The expansive site includes a museum, event and concert spaces, public green areas, and a new branch of the Chicago Public Library.
Only rare public appearances
Since moving out of the White House in 2017, Malia and Sasha have largely stayed out of the public eye. The former president's daughters mostly appear only on their parents' social media channels - for birthdays or holidays.
The attention at their joint appearance in Chicago was all the greater. Most recently, Sasha was seen at the NBA All-Star Game in California in February alongside her father. Malia is pursuing a career in the film industry and occasionally appears at industry events and premieres.
The older Obama daughter has been working successfully in the film and television industry for several years. She collaborated with actor and musician Donald Glover on the Amazon series "Swarm". She also made her directorial debut with the short film "The Heart". The work screened at prestigious festivals such as the Toronto International Film Festival, the Telluride Film Festival, and the Sundance Film Festival. For her work, she was honored in 2024 with the "Young Spirit Award" at the Deauville American Film Festival in France.
From the White House to private life
When Barack Obama was elected President of the United States in 2008, Malia was ten and Sasha was only seven years old. Eight years later, they left the White House as young adults. Sasha even made history: She was the youngest presidential child to live in the White House since John F. Kennedy Jr. grew up there in the early 1960s.
Just a few days ago, Barack Obama publicly congratulated his younger daughter Sasha on her 25th birthday. Alongside a photo together, he wrote on Instagram: "Happy birthday, Sasha! I can't believe you're already 25 - time really does fly. It's been a joy to watch you become the woman you are today."
And the former president also recently made one thing clear: a political career for his daughters is extremely unlikely. At an event last year, Obama joked that his wife Michelle had conveyed to them early on that they "would have to be crazy" to go into politics themselves. "That will never happen", he said laughing - while emphasizing that Malia and Sasha are "strong young women" today.
