When President Obama took office, he and first lady Michelle Obama promised to reach out to the city of Washington. From the looks of the guests in the First Lady’s box at the president’s address to Congress Tuesday night, they’re serious.
Apart from the guests you’d expect — Dr. Jill Biden, presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett — Michelle Obama’s section is chock-a-block with Washingtonians. Among them:
-Gen. Alfonso E. Lenhardt, CEO of the non-profit National Crime Prevention Council and the first African-American to serve as Senate Sergeant at Arms.
–Roxanna Garcia Marcus, the development manager of Year Up
–Alvaro Simmons, chief operating officer of Mary’s Center
-Sgt. John E. Rice, a Marine from Bethesda who was injured in Iraq
Mrs. Obama also invited local students to sit with her: Victoria Kirby a senior at Howard University; Elizabeth Carballo, a junior at Roosevelt Senior High School; Akrem Muzemil, a sophomore at Benjamin Banneker High; and Juan Francisco Rodriguez, a student at Bell Multicultural High School.
