(RNN) - An 8-year-old recently garnered Michelle Obama’s attention when she decided to dress like the former first lady did in a photo taken during her freshmen year at Princeton University.
Obama was Ella-Lorraine Brown’s choice for Cultural Heroes Day at her school.
The girl’s mother posted the photo to Facebook on Nov. 1.
“Several folks have asked me if they could share my daughter’s Michelle Robinson (Obama) at Princeton double take photo,” Karlyn Johnson Brown said in the post. “Michelle is a power house in her own right. Celebrating strong women and role models, here!”
The similarities to the former first lady are uncanny. Ella-Lorraine’s adaptation was very detailed, from the hair, clothing, bag and even her hand placement.
In an interview with Makers, the girl’s mother, Johnson Brown, who the outlet said also attended Princeton, said Ella-Lorraine insisted on portraying the former first lady.
“I loved it because by choosing to portray her hero as a college student, the focus was on Michelle’s accomplishments as an individual, not just as an attachment,” Johnson Brown said. “Ella-Lorraine has never known a time when Black women weren’t publicly honored and ‘Black girl magic’ wasn’t a highly celebrated thing. That’s awesome,” she continued.
The girl’s father also weighed in with a tweet.
Ella-Lorraine loves to dress up as her female heroes, like Bessie Coleman and Ruby Bridges. "She knows that folks came before her that allowed her to be where and who she is today and we’ve encouraged her to not back away from embracing that history.” pic.twitter.com/gVv1TauA8r
— MAKERS (@MAKERSwomen) December 7, 2018
And Michelle Obama took notice by retweeting the story.
“I loved it because by choosing to portray her hero as a college student, the focus was on Michelle’s accomplishments as an individual, not just as an attachment." This 8-year-old dressed up as her hero, @MichelleObama at @Princeton, & it's EVERYTHING. ?? https://t.co/gllJzec1MT
— MAKERS (@MAKERSwomen) December 7, 2018
Ella-Lorraine’s father, Eugene Brown, told media outlets Ella-Lorraine is named after renowned jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald.
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