Upon hearing the name Obama, you’re most likely going to think of either Barack or Michelle, the former US president and first lady, respectively. But there’s another Obama who is just as vocal and impactful as the ones who used to live in the White House: Auma Obama.

Auma is the 44th American president’s older half-sister, and she recently made global headlines for taking part in an anti-tax protest in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. (Her and Barack’s father also hails from Kenya.) Speaking to CNN soon after being tear gassed along with other demonstrators, Auma said, “I am here because – look at what’s happening. Young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights. They are demonstrating with flags and banners.”

According to the Associated Press, the movement was triggered by Kenyan lawmakers’ proposal to raise taxes, which would add further strain to millions of Kenyans already struggling with the soaring cost of living in the East African hub.

NBC News reported that dozens were injured and at least five people were killed in clashes with the police during the rally at the country’s parliament, where Auma was seen among her fellow demonstrators.

There is much more to Auma than her recent involvement in the Kenyan protests though. Here’s what we know about Auma Obama.

Auma Obama and Barack Obama have each other’s backs

Auma was born in Kenya in 1960. She’s the daughter of Barack Obama Sr and his first wife, Kezia Obama. She was born only a year before the then future president of the United States, whose mother was Stanley Ann Dunham, Obama Sr’s second wife.

The two half-siblings seem to have a strong bond – even though, according to Forbes, Auma and Barack only met in their twenties. The former president was quick to contact Auma after the Nairobi protests – just one day after, in fact – to make sure she’s OK. “He cares. He checked in,” Auma shared on X (formerly Twitter) in response to someone who questioned the former world leader’s support for his sibling.

She has her own documentary

Auma studied in Germany where she earned a master’s degree and a doctorate. She lived and worked in Germany and the United Kingdom for a time before moving back to Kenya, where she embraced her role as a community activist and social worker, which included working for the aid organisation Care International. She’s since remained a vocal and active advocate for feminism, humanitarianism and positive change for future generations.

So impressive is her life story that, in 2011, Nigerian-born Branwen Okpako directed a documentary about her. The pair first met at the German Film and Television Academy in Berlin. Per IMDB, The Education of Auma Obama “is a captivating and intimate portrait of the US president’s older half-sister, who embodies a postcolonial, feminist identity”.

She is a global citizen

Thanks to her years in Germany, Obama speaks German and flexed her language skills in an RTL clip in 2021 when she was a participant in Let’s Dance, a dancing show that’s Germany’s answer to Dancing with the Stars.

“Why am I taking part?” Auma says in German in the clip. “Because I love to dance. And whether I can dance well – I’m like those who sing in the shower. I think I can dance well, but we’ll see in a few days if it’s really the case.”

She is an activist

It must run in the family, because Auma is also known for her drive to create positive change in the world as an activist and social worker.

According to the World Future Council, besides Care International, Auma also works with World Future Council, which promotes sustainability on behalf of future generations. She also serves as a board member for a number of committees, including the Bayreuth Academy of Advanced African Studies at the University of Bayreuth; the governing council of the Kilimanjaro Initiative in Nairobi, which supports disadvantaged youth; and the international Storymoja Festivals in Kenya, which spotlights emerging talent.

Auma also initiated the Sauti Kuu Foundation, which gives “voice to financially and socially disadvantaged children and youth … [and] works to unlock their potential and enable them to actively participate in improving their lives”.

She’s an author

Originally published in German and later translated into English, Auma’s book, And Then Life Happens: A Memoir (2012) is a “candid and emotional memoir [in which she] shares her own story as well as recollections of and experiences with her famous brother”.

According to Goodreads, her memoir deftly contrasts her upbringing with that of her presidential half-brother’s, and navigates the “tension between her original and chosen worlds and cultures”.