Black vacationers on Martha’s Vineyard often describe visiting the island in August as a kind of family reunion. If your family happens to include Michelle Obama, that is.
“This is a special place for us, because, as you all know, this is where we come to enjoy being us,” Ms. Obama said Saturday afternoon at the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, where she joined her older brother, Craig Robinson, for a live recording of their podcast, “IMO,” which she likened to a kitchen table.
The brother-sister duo were speaking with the actress Natasha Rothwell, whom they repeatedly referred to as “cousin,” inside the Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center in Oak Bluffs, Mass., where many of the film festival’s events were held.
Together, they discussed mental health, dating, relationships and the importance of telling stories that reflect the Black experience. In a display of almost familial warmth, Mr. Robinson even offered to set Ms. Rothwell up with a potential suitor, which drew applause and laughter from the audience.
“Oh, God is good!” Ms. Rothwell exclaimed. “I would love to be set up.”
The quaint island off the coast of Massachusetts has been a central destination for Black vacationers for more than a century, specifically the town of Oak Bluffs, which became a popular summer destination by welcoming Black Americans during segregation when most beaches and resorts turned them away.
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