Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson recorded a new episode of their “IMO” podcast at the Obama Presidential Center this week. They brought along a genuinely wonderful guest: Quinta Brunson.
The episode was shared on the IMO podcast’s Instagram this week. The three sat down inside the Presidential Center in Chicago for a candid conversation about community, creativity, and storytelling.
The IMO caption opened with a warm, memorable thought: “There are some places that hold memories. And then there are places that help create new ones.” The Center, it continued, is “a home for community, creativity, and possibility. A place where people can gather, learn, and see themselves reflected in the stories that shape our country.” Getting to share it with Brunson, the caption added, “made the moment even sweeter.”
Quinta Brunson is a natural fit for a conversation like this. She’s the creator and star of “Abbott Elementary.” For the last several years, she’s been telling warm, community-rooted stories about a group of Philadelphia public school teachers. The show doesn’t just make audiences laugh. It makes them feel seen. Brunson has earned multiple Emmy wins for the series and is widely regarded as one of the sharpest comedy writers on television right now.
Michelle Obama has been thinking about these ideas for a long time. Her memoir “Becoming,” published in 2018, sold tens of millions of copies and became one of the best-selling memoirs in history. Her advocacy work has centered consistently on education and community. That same spirit runs through “IMO.” It’s a podcast she co-hosts with her older brother Craig.
Craig Robinson is best known as Darryl Philbin from “The Office,” the dry, beloved warehouse manager who spent nine seasons working his way up the Dunder Mifflin ladder. He’s also appeared in “Pineapple Express,” “This Is the End,” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” On “IMO,” he brings a relaxed, funny energy to the show. It balances Michelle’s more reflective side well.
The Obama Presidential Center is still under construction on Chicago’s South Side in Jackson Park. The public opening is still a ways off. This recording feels like an early, intimate look at what the space will hold. Plans include a museum, a public library branch, and community gathering spaces. All of it is designed to serve the surrounding neighborhood directly. Recording a podcast there, about belonging and storytelling, fits the vision nicely.
The full episode with Quinta Brunson is out now on YouTube and on all major podcast platforms.
