After Barack Obama’s presidential victory in 2008, Malia Obama faced life in the public eye. Her father’s new role brought significant changes for the family, leading Michelle Obama to prioritize ensuring that Malia and her sister Sasha did not grow to resent him or the presidency. Whatever it was they did, it clearly worked. Today, Malia is a well-adjusted woman and living her best life. Here’s a look at the life of the elder Obama daughter, from her birth through her budding career in the film industry.
The early years
Malia Obama was fittingly born on Independence Day (July 4th) 1998 at the University of Chicago Medical Center. She was brought into this world by Dr. Anita Blanchard, a close family friend of the Obamas, who would later become her Godmother. Due to mother Michelle’s medical issues, both she and her younger sister, Sasha Obama, were conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Malia spent the first decade of her life living in Chicago, attending elementary school at the University of Chicago Laboratory School. Her father, the future 44th president of the United States, was a member of the Illinois state senate and professor at the University of Chicago Law School. Michelle was associate dean of student affairs at the University of Chicago and then eventually vice president for community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Hospitals, the last job she would hold before becoming First Lady.
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All Grown Up: Malia Obama Through The Years 