Michelle Obama
IN PHOTO U.S. first lady Michelle Obama gestures as she addresses during an event in Siem Reap March 21, 2015. Cambodia is one of 11 countries to be targeted in the first year of Obama's "Let Girls Learn" initiative, launched last summer through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Reueters/Athit Perawongmetha

First Lady Michelle Obama rocked in a beautiful white corset dress at the fifth annual Black Girls Rock! 2015 Awards in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday. Obama talked about accepting ourselves as we are, irrespective of the colour of the skin. The show celebrated beauty, power and strength of women.

The FLOTUS attended the event that celebrates achievement by black women in the past year. The wife of U.S. President Barack Obama looked graceful and elegant in a white, off shoulder dress and gave an inspiring speech at the event. Obama spoke of the many female influences she had in her life and also stressed on the importance of education for women. Check out her picture here.

"No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, you are beautiful," Obama told the audience at the event, where a large number of young black girls were present. "I am so proud of you. My husband, your president, is so proud of you," she said in her speech, according to The Root. The First Lady also told the women audience that U.S. has “so much hope and dreams for you."

In her speech, Obama said that there are "voices that tell you you're not good enough, that you have to look a certain way, act a certain way, that if you speak up, you're too loud.” Most people consider a woman “bossy” if she takes charge of some event and leads, said Obama. Her speech then shifted to overcoming fears and accepting the challenges to rise up in life.

Obama urged women to “live life on your own terms," adding that any person who has “achieved anything in life, knows challenges and failures are components of success." Many black women were awarded at the show. Some of the names include actress Jada Pinkett Smith, singer Erykah Badu, actress Cicely Tyson, "Selma" director Ava DuVernay, educator Nadia Lopez and Dr. Helene D. Gayle, president and CEO of CARE USA, a humanitarian organization.

For any questions/comments on the article, you may contact the writer at: n.tewari@ibtimes.com.au

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