doi:10.7916/t97p-ae75Oral history interview with Karen Dresden, 2022Dresden, Karenoral historiesmixed materialPresidents--United StatesCharter schools--United StatesCommon Core State Standards (Education)Dresden, KarenObama, BarackObama, Michelle, 1964-Martin, Trayvon, 1995-2012United States. My Brother's Keeper Task ForceKaren Dresden- the founding principal and head of school at Capital City Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.- reflects on her experience of the Obama presidency, and shares memories of her encounters with Barack and Michelle Obama and other members of the administration. Dresden outlines the founding and evolution of Capital City and describes the school's expeditionary pedagogy. She tells the stories of notable visits by administration officials and encounters between Capital City students and the administration, including the February 2009 visit by the president, first lady, and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (Obama's first school visit as president); Michelle Obama's December 2014 visit associated with her Reach Higher college attainment initiative; and students' visit to the White House Kitchen Garden to harvest vegetables with the first lady. Also discussed are the Obama administration's focus on innovation in education, the implementation of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the impact of the murder of Trayvon Martin on Capital City's students, the effects of the My Brother's Keeper initiative on Capital City's participating students, and efforts to promote conversations about race and equity at school