Really by sheer accident I came across a woman's blog who is a published magazine writer. She wrote about President Obama's mother in University of Hawai'i's alumni magazine. She was a graduate from there.

http://www.hawaii.edu/malamalama/200...esident-obama/

Regardless of what one thinks of Obama as a politician, I do think it's very cool for a national leader who was raised by an independent thinking, proactive woman in her community/public sphere.

(I'm also a big believer for men, if they are raised by a mother who herself is instrumental in social change even at a local level, exhibits independent thought and gives to family and community, it affects the guy's perception of women's capabilities life later on both in personal life and on the job.)