"And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us - no matter what our age or background or walk of life - each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation"
About this Quote
The most pointed move is the pivot from elite credential to public service. “I left a job at a law firm” is a culturally loaded detail: it invokes prestige, security, and the expected script for someone who’s made it. She names the off-ramp as a deliberate sacrifice, but not a martyrdom. It’s a recalibration of what success should look like, especially for an audience that’s been taught to measure achievement by salary and status.
“Working to empower young people” does double duty: it highlights a cause (service) and an organizing theory (agency). She’s not praising youth as symbolism; she’s positioning them as civic actors. The broader subtext is coalition-building. By insisting “no matter what our age or background or walk of life,” she’s preempting the common gatekeeping around who counts as a “real” contributor. It’s inclusive language with strategic edges: a rebuke to cynicism, a quiet answer to critics who questioned her belonging, and a reminder that democracy runs on participation, not pedigree.
As First Lady, she turns personal biography into public invitation, making citizenship feel less like an identity and more like a verb.
Quote Details
| Topic | Servant Leadership |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Obama, Michelle. (2026, January 18). And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us - no matter what our age or background or walk of life - each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-in-my-own-life-in-my-own-small-way-ive-tried-22437/
Chicago Style
Obama, Michelle. "And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us - no matter what our age or background or walk of life - each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation." FixQuotes. January 18, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-in-my-own-life-in-my-own-small-way-ive-tried-22437/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"And in my own life, in my own small way, I've tried to give back to this country that has given me so much. That's why I left a job at a law firm for a career in public service, working to empower young people to volunteer in their communities. Because I believe that each of us - no matter what our age or background or walk of life - each of us has something to contribute to the life of this nation." FixQuotes, 18 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/and-in-my-own-life-in-my-own-small-way-ive-tried-22437/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
