Laura Bush and Jenna and Barbara
Top level diplomats had nothing on Laura Bush as she juggled her role of First Lady and mother to the party girls, Jenna and Barbara.
Laura was steadfast in her assertion that her daughters had the right to sow their oats without Secret Service intervention. After all, the girls did not sign up for the role of first daughters. And the reality is that a very high percentage of college students who drink underage and don’t always exercise the brightest of judgment (present author included) turn out to be socially responsible adults. The two certainly kept the local authorities and Secret Service on their toes while providing volumes of dirt for the tabloid press! I think it is a pretty safe bet that neither of the twins will choose a career in politics!
Moving forward nine years, both have joined their family’s work in the area of public health in Africa, particularly focused on AIDS and women’s health. While this is a family project going back to their grandmother, I think it is a pretty good bet that these two chose their fields because they cared about them, not because they worried about the public image of the Bush family.
Barbara Bush has worked in Africa and the United States as an advocate for women’s health and for children who are orphaned or whose families are sick from AIDs in Africa. Her work is very hands on with the children and their families.
While Jenna was in Africa with UNICEF, she penned her first book, Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope. It is based on the true life experiences of a young mother whose husband is suffering from the effects of later stages of AIDs. The book is written to reach young women and to encourage advocacy and prevention.
Just a few months before the family left the White House for the last time, Jenna and Laura hit the road to promote their new children’s book, Read All About It. Geared toward elementary students, the aim of the book was to encourage young minds to come alive to the magic of reading.
Laura Bush walked many fine lines with her oft conflicting roles as First Lady and mother, under the spotlight of the media. I hope the girls appreciate the swords that she fell on for them and I look forward to seeing how they use their influence to promote the eradication of AIDS through education, advocacy and research.