Some young Buffalo artists created a special original song for First Lady Michelle Obama to wish her well as she leaves the White House. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says the project was led by their youth instructor at the Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology.
Michelle Obama celebrated her 53rd birthday Tuesday and this piece of music is dedicated to her. Da'Von McCune, youth coordinator, created the song and presented it to his BCAT students. A group called Team Radio joined forces with the students at BCAT, creating the mix to honor the First Lady's work.
“I made a song titled Michelle Obama and my kids really liked it. We wanted to find a way that we could present it to her in a special way, so two of my students in a video class, Bhakti Williams-Brown and Treyvon Curtis Frisby worked on the video and a student in my art class, Desanay Nells, she created the album art,” said McCune.
BCAT serves Buffalo Public School students who attend East, Bennett, Burgard and the Health Sciences Charter School. They attend this afterschool Youth Arts Programs where they learn about digital media, art and music.
“It’s a dance type song and wanted to make something for my students that was positive, and Michelle Obama is like the best role model, and in hip-hop there aren’t a lot of positive role models, so I wanted to use her and hopefully make something that’s a little bit different, a little bit fun and memorable,” remarked McCune.
Students also created a website, formichelleobama.com, hoping to capture her attention.
“We would love to have her come to Buffalo, have her tour the facility, but also we would like her to be able to speak at UB,” said McCune.
McCune, a musician, is also a graduate student at the University at Buffalo’s Department of Urban planning. He works on creating messages of hope.
Here is the message written to the First Lady on the webpage that includes "Best Wishes" #formichelleobama:
Dear Michelle Obama,
On your special day I would like you to know that you’ve carried the weight of people, the plight of gender, the responsibilities of a mother and you have done it all with the grace of an angel. You have inspired a people, you have inspired a whole people and through that me and a song, and through my song, our youth. I would like to dedicate this website birthday card to you for empowering all girls and women around the world. You have played the role of amazing wife, loving mother, proud African American woman, lawyer, health and fitness advocate. You are proof that our girls can have it all. With all of this said, on your proud day, I wish you a very happy birthday!
With Love,
Da’Von L. McCune, Youth Coordinator
Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology
*An Affiliate of Bill Strickland ‘s Manchester Bidwell Guild