The very cool, really dope, first-ever Obama Foundation Summit, held at the glassy new McCormick Place Marriott earlier this week, made one thing clear: the foundation has picked a worthy mission for itself.
The summit drew 19,500 applications, and 450 young people from 60 countries were selected to attend. A global audience watched online at Obama.org, where some of the proceedings can still be viewed.
So, although speakers like Glass House author Brian Alexander and public policy expert Heather McGhee pointed to root issues with the financial system (“What is capitalism for? Are we supposed to work for it? Or is it supposed to work for us?” were questions Alexander floated), the Obama Center will be a connector and amplifier, with values (like humility, integrity, inclusivity) but not an agenda. It’ll be activism enabled, for causes the young leaders choose and commit to on their own.
And, in what sounded like an oblique reference to local controversy over some of the foundation’s plans, Obama also asked the concert audience to support him in getting the center built: “Just as you have supported me in the past, I want you to be my partners in this,” he said.
