Last Thursday, internet hearts collectively melted over a photo of a young girl staring in awe at Michelle Obama’s official portrait at the National Portrait Gallery in D.C. “All I wanted was just one pic,” Jessica Curry, the mother of 2-year-old Parker, told the Washington Post after the image went viral. “She was just so fixated on the portrait and wouldn’t turn away from it.”
Donna Hines & I made a pilgrimage today and we were delighted to wait in line behind this fellow art lover & hopeful patriot.
Posted by Ben Hines on Thursday, March 1, 2018
That one photo has now resulted in a meeting with Obama herself, who tweeted the following video of their Tuesday encounter, adorable dance moves and all.
Parker, I'm so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)! Keep on dreaming big for yourself…and maybe one day I'll proudly look up at a portrait of you! pic.twitter.com/faUVTsYWun
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) March 6, 2018
The lightening-fast sharing of both the photo and Parker’s meeting with the former first lady underscores Obama’s own words during the portrait’s unveiling last month, in which she expressed hope that seeing her portrait would inspire young women everywhere.
“I’m also thinking about all of the young people, particularly girls and girls of color, who, in years ahead, will come to this place and they will look up and they will see an image of someone who looks like them hanging on the wall of this great American institution,” Obama said in February. “I know the kind of impact that will have on their lives because I was one of those girls.”