Obama says young black Americans should ’embrace the adversity they face because it will give you grit’ in interview with influencer Hannah Bronfman – niece of jailed NXIVM cult leader Clare Bronfman
- Hannah Bronfman posted the interview to her Instagram page on Thursday night
- She asked Obama how young black men and woman can value themselves more
- In response, the former president said ‘I want young black folks… to embrace the adversity that they may experience, because it’s going to give you more grit’
- While not always fair, he said, you come out on the other side ‘more resilient’
Former President Barack Obama has said he wants young black Americans to ’embrace the adversity they face because it will give them grit’.
His comments came during an interview with influencer and entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman, the niece of jailed NXIVM cult leader Clare Bronfman.
‘I want young black folks in particular to embrace the adversity that they may experience, because it’s going to give you more grit, more understanding of what you can get through, what you can overcome,’ he said.
In an interview with Hannah Bronfman (pictured left), Obama said ‘I want young black folks in particular to embrace the adversity that they may experience, because it’s going to give you more grit, more understanding of what you can get through, what you can overcome’
‘Sometimes that doesn’t feel fair, but if you are able to work through it you come out on the other end tougher, more resilient and being able to navigate any circumstance.
‘Whether that ends up being in business or politics or the non profit sector, or culture – that is a strength, that’s not a weakness,’ he added.
The interview was posted by Bronfman, 33, who is the niece of heiress Clare Bronfman who was jailed for her involvement as a leader of the NXIVM cult after being indicted on federal charges including sex trafficking.
Pictured: Hannah Bronfman, who interviewed Obama and posted the video to her Instagram on Thursday, asked him: ‘What advice would you give to young black men and women on how to not only value themselves, but also to embrace their own black excellence?’
Hannah Bronfman, who posted the interview to her Instagram page on Thursday, is also the daughter of Edgar Bronfman Jr., who is former CEO of Warner Music group and the half-brother of Clare.
Obama was responding to a question posed by Bronfman, in which she asked: ‘What advice would you give to young black men and women on how to not only value themselves, but also to embrace their own black excellence?’
‘I’m raising two amazing young black women. They’re becoming incredible adults – Michelle gets most of the credit, I get some,’ Obama joked.
‘One thing I think more than anything I try to communicate to them and I try to communicate to all young people. You may not choose the circumstances into which you are born, but your power, your voice, your agency, your ability to re-make your circumstances is profound,’ he said.
‘You just have to recognize that power – even in a society that sometimes denies it.’
Hannah Bronfman told Obama that being given the opportunity to interview him was a highlight of her career, which has included co-founding Beautified, a now-defunct beauty app.
In her line of questioning, Bronfman referenced the Black Lives Matter movement that was galvanised in 2020 after the death of George Floyd on May 25 at the hands of arresting Minnesota police officers.
Floyd’s death sparked wider conversations about equality in American society and how black Americans and other minority groups are treated.
The struggles faced by black Americans, Obama said, and the adversity developed through hardship, ‘is one of the reasons why now you see so many young African Americans who are becoming entrepreneurs and are making their own way.
‘It wasn’t handed to them. They had to earn it. It doesn’t always feel like a gift, but it can be a gift if you make it such.’
