While speaking in an opening statement for the Obama Foundation Summit, the former president had one request for attendees: to refrain from asking for selfies.
During the leadership conference in Chicago, Illinois, Obama spoke on the light matter for a second time around this year, and said: ‘One of the weird things about becoming president is I found that people were no longer looking me in the eye and shaking my hand.’
He added that the discussion ‘may seem trivial, but it’s not,’ just months after mentioning during a keynote speech in the spring that he had grown tireless from countless ungenuine interactions with people.
Former President Barack Obama poses for a hilarious selfie while holding 10-month-old Brooks Breitwieser at an event in Columbus, Ohio, November 1, 2016
Sanya Richards-Ross poses for a photo with Obama as Vice-President Joe Biden, center, looks on with First Lady Michelle Obama delivering hugs on September 14, 2012
Obama addresses the crowd as the last speaker at a session of the Obama Foundation Summit Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, in Chicago
After addressing more pressing issues like climate change and food waste at the conference – Obama joked that, since the end of his term, he’s been asked to take ‘selfies every two steps’ he walks when out in public.
He bantered further: ‘Now I’m only captive to selfies … which is almost as bad.’
On Wednesday, the final day of the civic leader conference, Michelle Obama also discussed plans for the soon-to-be constructed Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park.
Obama speaks during the conference Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017. He joked during an opening statement, asking attendees not to take selfies
The former First Lady, who grew up in Chicago, said the library will be a sanctuary where ‘art, music and creativity’ are openly celebrated, according to the Chicago Tribune.
She spoke further about her humble upbringing in the Windy City – where artistic values played an important role in her everyday life.
‘When you think about how little public art there is on the South Side … (that) is one of the things we hope to do with the Obama Presidential Center,’ she said during the speech.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama speaks at the Obama Foundation Summit in Chicago, Illinois, November 1, 2017. She discussed details on the soon-to-be constructed Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park
The former First Lady, who grew up in Chicago, said the library will be a sanctuary where ‘art, music and creativity’ are openly celebrated
‘There need to be places for public art outside. Just like downtown. Just like Picasso. Just like The Bean. There’s nothing.
‘Those pieces in communities are few and far in between. And they become the gathering places for a community, not just a place to see beauty and possibility.’
Speakers came forward to discuss other positive changes that are being put into action while at the conference – which is said to be the ‘foundation’s largest program of the year,’ according to the Tribune.
Other notable people in attendance to the meeting include Prince Harry and Chance the Rapper, who were among a slew of residents of the city.
Obama and Prince Harry pose for a photo at the wheelchair basketball on day 7 of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 on September 29, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. Prince Harry was in attendance to the Chicago conference this week