Amanda Gorman Shocks America with Soaring Poetry | Dr. Jill Biden's Gabriela Hearst Federal Flowers
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Amanda Gorman, 22, Caused a National Pause, Plenty of Tears
Millions around the world were shell-shocked when 22-year-old poet and Harvard grad Amanda Gorman arrived on stage to read her original poem, titled “The Hill We Climb”. Gordan was a true Goddess Rising, wearing a sunny yellow Prada coat, gifted to her as a virtual guest of the brand’s Spring 2021 show.
Paper Magazine writes that Gorman was also a speaker at the Prada Group's "Shaping a Future Sustainable Society" conference held in partnership with Yale and Politecnico di Milano. The young poet held a round table to discuss the ways businesses can navigate the changing landscape.
Amanda Gorman, the 21-Year-Old Poet Using Her Words as Weapons for Change Document Journal
Gorman, 22, is the youngest inaugural poet , following in the footsteps of other famous poets like Maya Angelou and her poem “On the Pulse of Morning” and Elizabeth Alexander.
Opray Winfrey gifted Gordon her jewelry: Nikos Koulis earrings and an Of Rare Origin “caged bird” ring, paying tribute to Maya Angelou. Oprah had gifted Maya Angelou the coat she wore at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration and wanted to give one to Gordan as well. The young poet with multiple godmothers had already settled on the yellow Prada coat, a decision also influenced by Miuccia’s feminist credentials.
“I would be nowhere without the women whose footsteps I dance in,” Gorman tweeted. “Here’s to the women who have climbed my hills before.”
"I am weaving my own type of symbolism into my outfit, and it's really special and important to me to deliver these nuggets of information and sentimentality as I'm reciting the poem," Gorman told Vogue. The yellow was a nod to our new First Lady. Biden saw Gorman’s 2017 video of her performance of “In This Place: An American Lyric” at the Library of Congress and reached out to her about writing a poem for the inaugural ceremony. Biden also noted that she really liked Gordan’s uplifting , optimistic yellow outfit.
Gorman saw her reading as an opportunity to offer a balm to those suffering right now, in the way that only poetry can. “I’m not saying I’m better than anyone else, but I was called by the Bidens for a reason, and this moment has called me for a reason, so all I can do is show up and do my absolute best,” Gorman says. “That’s all I can ask of myself.” writes Vogue
On her way to the inauguration, Amanda Gorman grew up in Los Angeles, becoming the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles in 2014. In 2013, she became a youth delegate for the United Nations after watching a speech by Pakistani Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai.
In 2017, she became the first National Youth Poet Laureate, two years after she published her first book of poetry, “The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough.”
Like millions around the world, AOC is flabbergasted over the talents of Amanda Gorman and we will feature her heavily in the coming weeks.
Related: The Poetic Perspective The Harvard Gazette
Sherrie Silver and Amanda Gorman's Spectacular Dance/Poetry Performance Women in the World Apr 10, 2019
Inauguration Evening: First Lady Dr.Jill Biden in Gabriela Hearst
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden’s Gabriela Hearst Inauguration Day evening ensemble. Images via Gabriela Hearst Instagram
Inauguration Evening: First Lady Dr.Jill Biden in Gabriela Hearst
America’s new First Lady Dr. Jill Biden tapped into a huge well of emotional support from cultural creatives by stepping out onto the Truman Balcony of the White House wearing an embroidered ivory cashmere coat and dress ensemble, ethically sourced and sewn, with a matching face mask by designer Gabriela Hearst. No new fabrics were purchased for the Inaugural ensemble.
The newly-appointed creative director of Chloé, Gabriela Hearst is a long-time friend of the new First Lady. On her Instagram, the designer further explained the pedigree of the ensemble. The coat was truly created to capture the spirit of American unity, with embroidered federal flowers from every state and territory of the United States of America. Gabriela Hearst is known for her exquisite attention to meaningful details, and the embroideries were a spectacular idea.
"The Delaware flower is positioned at the heart level of The First Lady, from there, all the other flowers branch out," she continued. "The pieces were made entirely in New York City. The Embroidery and Coat were crafted in the garment district and the dress was assembled at the in-house studio. Each flower took approximately two-four hours to embroider. Careful placements and color selections were carefully studied for weeks. Inside of the coat, representing the lifelong calling and service of Dr. Biden as an educator, is a hand embroidery on the lining with a quote from Founding Father Benjamin Franklin: 'Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.'"
