Former First Lady Michelle Obama to speak at SXSW 2025 in Austin next week
South by Southwest announced Wednesday one of its newest featured speakers: former First Lady Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson.
"Michelle Obama has long been an inspiration to us at SXSW and to millions of people around the world,” said Hugh Forrest, SXSW President and Chief Programming Officer, in a release. “Her belief that we lift each other up by sharing our stories with one another is a core part of the SXSW experience and a key catalyst in helping creative people achieve their goals.”
"It is the ultimate honor and an incredible thrill to welcome Michelle and her brother, Craig Robinson, to the 2025 event," he added.
Here's what we know.
When and where is SXSW 2025?
SXSW runs March 7 to 15, mostly in downtown Austin. Most conference sessions are held at Austin Convention Center, JW Marriott, Fairmont Austin and other downtown hotels. Events and showcases take place in the Palmer Events Center and the Long Center, the Rainey Street District, the Red River Cultural District, clubs on Sixth Street and other sites around south central and east central Austin. There are also free community concerts at Auditorium Shores.
Locations for movie screenings include Paramount Theatre, Violet Crown Cinema and Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar Boulevard. Satellite screenings of film fest selections happen at Austin Film Society's complex on Middle Fiskville Road.
When is Michelle Obama scheduled to speak at SXSW 2025?
The former First Lady will speak at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 13.
Michelle Obama’s impact extends across books, film, and advocacy. Her memoir, "Becoming," spent over 130 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list and sold more than 17 million copies.
She and Barack Obama’s media company, Higher Ground, produced "American Factory," which won the 2020 Academy Award for Best Documentary. Her "Michelle Obama Podcast" became Spotify’s most successful original, drawing in a large audience of women over 40.
She also founded the Girls Opportunity Alliance to support girls' education and co-founded PLEZi Nutrition to promote healthier food choices for kids.
Who is Craig Robinson?
Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama’s brother, is the Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and host of the Higher Ground podcast "Ways to Win."
From 2017 to 2020, he served as vice president of Player Development and Minor League Operations for the New York Knicks. Previously, he was a Division I head men’s basketball coach at Oregon State and Brown and spent over a decade as a trader in the investment banking industry.
Who else is on the SXSW speaker lineup?
SXSW has also announced the following speakers:
- Tom Morello – Guitarist, songwriter, and political activist
- Bryan Johnson – Entrepreneur and founder of Kernel and Blueprint
- Lars Ulrich – Drummer and co-founder of Metallica
- Ben Stiller – Actor, comedian, and filmmaker
- Ayanna Pressley – U.S. Congresswoman (D-MA)
- Priscilla Chan – Philanthropist and co-founder of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
- Robert Rodriguez – Filmmaker and founder of Troublemaker Studios
What bands are playing SXSW 2025?
The biggest act that has been announced so far is Band of Horses, Benson Boone, Ivan Cornejo, Megan Moroney, Brittney Spencer, Dope Lemon, Andrew McMahon, Big Freedia and Frankie and the Witches Fingers have caught our eye, too. Drag Race Canada's first winner, PRIYANKA is also making an appearance. The lineup is still coming together, so expect more acts to drop soon.
Contributing: Mars Salazar and Ana Gutierrez, Austin American-Statesman