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Hi there,  With 2023 drawing to a close, it’s time for one of our favorite traditions: President Obama’s yearly list of top picks! From books to movies to music, President Obama recently shared some of the stories and art that resonated with him this year. Take a look to get some inspiration for your next watch, or to see if you and the President share a favorite read: President Obama has always believed that the arts are a powerful form of expression in a democratic culture and platform to fuel positive change. That belief will be reflected in the future Obama Presidential Center, which will feature a community recording studio, auditorium, and a new branch of the Chicago Public Library!  From all of us at the Obama Foundation, we hope you’re enjoying the holiday season and wish you a happy new year.  —The Obama Foundation  Hi there, Here in Chicago and around the world, we’re proud to support and uplift individuals who embody President Obama’s belief that everyday people have the power to bring about lasting positive change.  We’ve shared many of their stories with you this year on Obama.org, and today, we’d like to spotlight some of our favorites! Take a look back at some of the incredible leaders we’ve had the honor of introducing you to this year, then please, make a donation so we can continue to inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of changemakers in 2024. Innovation in Action: Joseph Nguthiru During Earth Month, we spotlighted Joseph Nguthiru, a 2023 Obama Foundation Africa Leader. Joseph was inspired to tackle the issue of water hyacinth, the world’s most problematic aquatic weed, after a dense mat of the weed stranded him and his friends in a boat on Kenya’s Lake Naivasha for hours. Today, Joseph is the founder of HyaPak Ecotech Limited, a Kenyan-based start-up transforming the water hyacinth plant into biodegradable alternatives for single-use plastic products. Learn more about Joseph’s journey here.  ChicaGO: Raven Smith Young Chicagoan Raven Smith created the t-shirt company Straight From The GO – All Good Things From ChicaGO in 2016  to dispel negative perceptions about violence in Chicago.  During the pandemic, after noticing an uptick in violence in Chicago, Raven decided to create a signature campaign on her classic Straight From The GO t-shirt to inspire the city’s youth. We shared her story with her earlier this year when Michelle Obama became the latest notable Chicagoan to sign a shirt!  Read more about Raven’s story here. Transforming an Immigrant Community: Bethany Rivera Molinar Bethany Rivera Molinar is a 2023 United States Leader who we spotlighted during Hispanic Heritage Month for her work as the executive director of Ciudad Nueva Community Outreach.  Ciudad Nueva is a nonprofit and community development organization based in El Paso, Texas that works holistically with community members to empower youth, support families, equip leaders, and strengthen the Rio Grande neighborhood, a largely immigrant community. Learn more about Ciudad Nueva and Bethany’s journey to leading the organization here.  An Ode to Chicago: Brandon Breaux This year, Chicago artist Brandon Breaux worked with a group of students attending Dyett High School for the Arts to create a mural dedicated to the South and West sides of Chicago that adorns the fence at the Obama Presidential Center construction site.  Brandon, whose love for art began as a young child, describes the mural as a “collage of our collected experiences” and hopes that it will provide a glimmer of hope to those who need it most.  Read more about the process of creating the mural and the artist behind it here. DONATE NOW ⓒ 2023 Obama Foundation