Becoming
…a book, a documentary and a reminder from Michelle Obama
Becoming
Not arrived.
Not perfected.
Becoming suggests motion. Growth. The long, very public act of trying to live your values while the cameras and microphones are always on.
It’s the opposite of pretending.
A perfect word for the documentary about Michelle Obama, and for her book by the same title.
The film (released in May of 2020) is available on Netflix, and I’m not the only one watching it again this month.
If it’s time for a good, cleansing sob fest, watch it alone, in a darkened room, and remember the days when the most controversial act of a sitting First Lady was planting a garden on the White House grounds and urging Americans to drink more water.
Viewership of Becoming has surged. Over the weekend of January 30–February 1, 2026, minutes watched jumped by more than 13,000 percent, from roughly 354,000 minutes the previous weekend to about 47.5 million minutes streamed.
That doesn’t happen by accident.
This First Lady’s moral compass is evident in every chronicled minute of her life. Who among us could withstand that level of scrutiny, sustained over time?
We see packed auditoriums waiting. Then the curtain parts. She walks out. The place erupts.
Not for spectacle.
For steadiness.
For decency.
For love.
On the Other Hand
I couldn’t help but think of the crowd the current president of the United States drew in Iowa 15 days ago. Attendance was generously estimated at 2,000. My friend and colleague Bob Leonard was there, reporting from outside, and says more people were gathered in the cold protesting than were inside listening.
The audience for a sitting United States president that day amounted to about a third of the number who will read this column.
Fact.
Meanwhile, Steve Bannon said on his War Room program that there is a “massive lack of enthusiasm” in the president’s base — supporters, he said, are simply not feeling it.
I still remember a line Michelle Obama offered while reflecting on her husband during his first term as president of the United States:
The presidency doesn’t change who you are — it reveals who you are.
Which brings us to this moment.
The newly released Epstein files — court documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein — offer another reminder of how power behaves when it assumes privacy and impunity. What those documents expose is too many powerful people assumed they would never be revealed.
Congress, meanwhile, is revealing something else about this moment in time.
Funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now at levels comparable to — and in some cases exceeding — long-established federal institutions like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Head Start.
Under a major tax-and-budget law passed in July 2025, Congress authorized roughly $75 billion for ICE over four years, in addition to its base budget. About $45 billion was designated for detention capacity, and nearly $30 billion for hiring, training, and bonuses.
That level of investment places ICE among the most heavily funded federal law-enforcement agencies in the country — a remarkable status for an agency created recently.
Why?
Well, with poll numbers plummeting, how does one win a free and fair election.
Again, Bannon shows a possible winning hand. In his podcast, he said:
“You’re damn right we’re gonna have ICE surround the polls come November.” — meaning he wants U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at or around polling places during the upcoming midterm elections.
By the way, reporting makes it clear Bannon is repeatedly referenced throughout the recent Epstein file releases — far more than a casual mention.
Becoming
Becoming is important now not because it’s new, but because it reminds us of something we cannot forget— United States leaders who stand for the Constitution, democracy, and the rule of law are normal.
The presidency doesn’t change who you are. It reveals who you are. Michelle Obama’s words are so true.
A Glimmer of Hope
We as individuals, and as a country, are still becoming.
Okoboji Mastery Circle – Tonight
Academy Award nominee Peter Hedges leads tonight’s online session in the Okoboji Mastery Circle. His work spans novels, screenplays, and films that have shaped generations of storytellers, and he’s bringing that hard-won insight straight to our community.
You can still jump in. One registration covers the full Mastery Circle series and the Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat.
Learn more and grab your seat.. Learn more
Substack Success Classes
Your publication is live. You’re writing. People are reading.
Now what?
This intermediate class focuses on momentum: building audience, sharpening your voice, and turning occasional readers into loyal subscribers. Practical strategies, real examples, zero fluff. Learn more
Iowa Writers’ Collaborative
Are you in?
More than 60 terrific voices from around the state are delivering sharp insight, original reporting, and memorable storytelling every single week. Jump in and find the writers who make you think, laugh, argue with the screen, and immediately hit “share.”
The conversation’s already good — and it gets even better with you in it.
Haven't seen the documentary, but I thought the book was great. Thanks for the reminder on the doc!
Great column, Julie. Thank you. I am going to watch Becoming again. Michele's style, compassion, intelligence, and grace will always stand alone and above when we speak of First Ladies of the 21st century.