The Obama family has watched both daughters carve distinct paths since leaving the White House, with Malia stepping into film and Sasha completing college.
At a Glance
- Malia Obama, 26, premiered her short film at Sundance 2024 after graduating from Harvard
- Sasha Obama, 24, earned a sociology degree from USC in 2023
- Barack and Michelle Obama married in 1992 and welcomed Malia in 1998 and Sasha in 2001
- Why it matters: The sisters’ transition from first kids to independent adults shows how the family balanced global spotlight with private growth
Barack and Michelle Obama have spent three decades raising two daughters under extraordinary scrutiny, first in Chicago, then on the world stage, and now as young adults forging their own identities.
From Senate Races to Sundance
Malia’s creative journey began after she graduated from Harvard. She joined the writers’ room for Swarm, Prime Video’s series from Donald Glover, and later directed a short that screened at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Sasha, two years younger, focused on academics, finishing at the University of Southern California with a degree in sociology in 2023.
Their parents, married since October 3, 1992, rarely comment on the girls’ careers, but public appearances and social-media posts reveal tight-knit support. Michelle’s January 17, 2027, 62nd birthday became another occasion for the family to reunite and reflect.
Growing Up in the Public Eye
The Obama children were 10 and 7 when their father won the presidency in November 2008. Michelle later told the 2016 Democratic Convention she worried the transition would “make or break” them:
> “I will never forget that winter morning as I watched our girls pile into those black SUVs with all those big men with guns. I saw their little faces pressed up against the window and thought, ‘What have we done?'”
Despite the pressure, both parents emphasized normalcy. In her 2015 Tuskegee commencement address, Michelle declared:
> “I love our daughters more than anything in the world-more than life itself… being mom-in-chief is, and always will be, job number one.”
Milestones Captured On Camera
Family photographs released over the years chart the sisters’ evolution:
- 2004: They helped Barack blow out candles on his 43rd birthday cake during an Illinois senate race celebration
- 2009: Annie Leibovitz shot an official portrait in the Green Room on September 1, 2009, showing the girls in coordinated dresses
- 2015: The quartet posed with Portuguese water dogs Sunny and Bo in the Rose Garden on Easter Sunday
- 2017: In his farewell address, Barack said, “Malia and Sasha… of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad”
Life After Pennsylvania Avenue
Since leaving Washington, the Obamas have split time between homes in Washington, D.C., and Martha’s Vineyard, giving the sisters space to experiment. Malia spent summers interning on film sets; Sasha pursued social-science research at USC.
Barack told News Of Los Angeles in a joint interview:
> “Now they’re both old enough where they just enjoy each other’s company… to see how they’ve become these marvelous young women-there’s been no greater joy than that.”
Social-media posts reinforce the sentiment. On Sasha’s 24th birthday, Barack wrote:
> “Watching you grow into the incredible woman you are has been a true gift.”
For Father’s Day 2024, he shared a hiking photo and reiterated:
> “The most fulfilling job I’ve ever had is being Sasha and Malia’s dad.”
Michelle echoed the theme during Father’s Day 2025, captioning a throwback:
> “@BarackObama has always been there for us no matter what-even when it felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.”
Key Milestones Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 4, 1998 | Malia Ann Obama born in Chicago |
| July 10, 2001 | Natasha “Sasha” Obama born |
| November 4, 2008 | Barack elected president; girls are 10 and 7 |
| January 20, 2009 | First day at the White House |
| 2017 | Farewell address praises daughters |
| 2021 | Malia graduates from Harvard |
| 2023 | Sasha graduates from USC |
| January 2024 | Malia’s short film debuts at Sundance |
| January 17, 2027 | Michelle turns 62; family reunites |
What’s Next
Neither sister has announced long-term plans. Malia continues to write and develop film projects; Sasha is rumored to be exploring graduate school options while maintaining a low profile in Los Angeles. Their parents, meanwhile, keep the door open for holidays, birthdays, and the occasional public glimpse that reminds onlookers how quickly America’s “first kids” have grown up.
