The Obamas are one of the most prominent and powerful American families, thus it’s unsurprising that everyone wants to know what’s been going on with them after leaving the White House. Barack and Michelle’s daughters Sasha and Malia attract lots of attention these days from curious eyes, who are either intrigued about the young pair’s decisions, or wonder if either of them will follow in their parents’ steps in politics.
In the case of Sasha, it’s especially difficult to get much info about her due to her low-profile public life, which is characterized by her lack of social media, and rare public appearances.
So what’s going on with the younger Obama daughter these days? Did she already graduate from college? What about her career? Does she have any intention of entering into politics? Stay with us to find out!
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What Is Sasha Doing Now?
It’s been a while since Barack Obama’s second presidential term ended in 2017, but the former first family of the US still captivates their supporters. When it comes to the youngest of the clan, Sasha, she’s doing well by following her dreams and living a normal adult life.
After attending the University of Michigan, and subsequently transferring to and graduating from the University of Southern California with a Sociology degree in 2023, Sasha has been making her way into the entertainment industry. According to The Cut, Sasha was credited as a cast interviewer for Showtime’s series “Couples Therapy” with her legal name Natasha Obama.
Sasha’s motivations to follow a similar path to her older sister Malia are unclear, but it’s not unusual for the youngest Obama to protect her privacy as much as possible. Not only does she not have a public life, but she’s also rarely seen on her parents’ highly-followed social media accounts, only appearing in pics and videos when it’s her birthday, or on special family occasions.
Overall, Sasha seems to be doing great as she follows her dreams while enjoying her 20s.
Early Life
Natasha Marian Obama was born on 10 June 2001, in Chicago, Illinois. She’s the second and younger daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama, who welcomed her at the University of Chicago Medical Center, where her older sister by three years Malia Ann was also delivered.
From a very early age, the Obama daughters busied themselves with school and extracurricular activities. In Sasha’s case, she practiced tap, gymnastics, piano, and tennis from back when the Obamas still lived in Chicago.
Once the family moved to Washington D.C following Barack’s 2007 presidential victory, Sasha and her older sister were enrolled in the private Sidwell Friends School, which children from prominent families involved in US politics often attend.
Interestingly enough, in 2016 Sasha worked as a takeout server at a Massachusetts-based fast food restaurant, which was reportedly an effort on her parents’ part to let her experience the ‘normalcy’ of life, including with a summer job.
Sasha matriculated from high school in 2019 and the event inevitably captured the media’s attention. As reported by USA Today at the time, no photos of Sasha were allowed to be taken inside the event, though that didn’t stop some images from making viral rounds on the internet, as people were more than happy to comment on Sasha’s milestone.
Academic Life
Following her high school matriculation, Sasha Obama enrolled into the University of Michigan, preferring the warmness of a midwestern school over an Ivy League option. As was thoroughly reported by the media at the time, it was a shock for followers of the family to see Sasha choosing a different academic path than her parents and older sister, who all attended the Ivy League’s Harvard University.
As expected, Sasha’s enrollment in the Michigan university caused uproar amidst the institution’s population, with The Chicago Tribune reporting at the time how students were highly expectant about Sasha’s arrival even weeks before classes officially began.
During the pandemic, Sasha reportedly went back home to her parents and sister while attending online classes. While the situation was sudden and a product of a contingency, Barack and Michelle were grateful to have extra time with their daughters.
In 2022, Sasha surprisingly transferred to the University of Southern California to study her senior years there. She graduated with a Sociology degree in 2023, with several media platforms reporting that she was loudly celebrated by the ceremony attendants upon being mentioned. The event was secured by Secret Service agents due to the presence of the former US first family.
Personal Life
Given Sasha’s preference for a low-profile life and her family’s prominence, very few details about her personal life and everyday endeavors are known. Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped the media from circulating news about Sasha, especially when it comes to her romantic life.
In 2022, Sasha began dating Clifton Powell Jr., a commercial director who is the son of the actor Clifton Powell, famous for his role in the movie “Ray” from 2004. The pair was first caught together in April of that year, not long after Sasha transferred from the University of Michigan to the University of Southern California.
Due to the private nature of Clifton Jr. and Sasha’s relationship, it’s unclear whether they’re still together. Nevertheless, back when the news broke about the then-new romance, it didn’t take many people by surprise as Michelle had already revealed during an interview with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that her daughters were involved in romantic relationships.
Regarding Sasha’s friendships, her mother Michelle revealed in 2019 that she was ‘surprised’ that her daughters made friends back when the Obamas were the presidential family, given the tough security measures they had to take then. Later, in 2022, Michelle revealed that her daughters lived together in California, and dealt with adulthood on their own.
Is Sasha Becoming A Politician?
Considering how relevant the Obamas are in the US political field and the lots of media attention that their daughters attract, despite their low-profile public life, it’s unsurprising that people expect Sasha and Malia to follow a similar career path to their parents.
However, the possibility of seeing the young Obama women in any political path is very low. Not only did Sasha and Malia choose careers in humanities and entertainment, but their parents weren’t ecstatic about them following in their steps. As Barack Obama revealed in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel in mid-2024, Michelle had discouraged both girls from working in politics given the ‘crazy’ aspects of it. When asked whether he thought Sasha and Malia would ever become presidents, he said firmly ‘it’ll never happen’.
While no one can assure whether one of the Obama girls would change their mind about politics in the future, it’s for certain that fans of the family are pleased for the time being at seeing Sasha and her sister Malia following their dreams.
