World News
What we know about Amanda Gorman, Joe Biden’s inauguration poet
Amanda Gorman “screamed and danced her head off” when she found out she had been chosen to read one of her poems at Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony.
At the age of 22, the Los Angeles-born writer and performer is the youngest poet to perform at a presidential inauguration.
She told the BBC’s World Service she felt “excitement, joy, honour and humility” when she was asked to take part in the ceremony, “and also at the same time terror”.
Her poem, The Hill We Climb, is a new composition she said she hoped would “speak to the moment” and “do this time justice”.
“I really wanted to use my words to be a point of unity and collaboration and togetherness,” she told the World Service’s Newshour programme before the ceremony.
“I think it’s about a new chapter in the United States, about the future, and doing that through the elegance and beauty of words.”
Gorman completed her poem on 6 January, the day the Capitol in Washington DC was stormed by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
The poet wore a mask as she arrived at Wednesday’s ceremony. Her poem speaks of “a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it” and “destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy”.
It continues: “This effort very nearly succeeded/But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.”
She told the New York Times: “Now more than ever, the United States needs an inaugural poem. We have to confront these realities if we’re going to move forward.”
Born in LA in 1998, Gorman had a speech impediment as a child – an affliction she shares with America’s new president.
“It’s made me the performer that I am and the storyteller that I strive to be,” she said in a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times.Gorman became LA’s youth poet laureate at 16. Three years later, while studying sociology at Harvard, she became the first national youth poet laureate.
She published her first book, The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough, in 2015 and will publish a picture book, Change Sings, later this year. She follows in the footsteps of Maya Angelou, Richard Blanco and Robert Frost, who are among the five poets to have performed at previous presidential inaugurations.
When Amanda Gorman was asked to write a poem for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, she didn’t know where to begin. The nation has just been through a bitter election. Americans are as divided as ever. And the pandemic continues to rage.
“It was really daunting to begin the poem because you don’t even really know the entry point in which to step into the murk,” she said in an interview Monday with NPR’s Steve Inskeep.
Gorman started by doing the same thing she always does — doing her research. She steeped herself in the literature of past inaugural poets. She looked to orators from throughout history who have spoken not just about a divided America, but also a united America. She read Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, even Winston Churchill.
World News
Splash House Announces Dates for 10 Year Anniversary Season
For the last ten years, Splash House has continually redefined the summer festival, fostering a boutique experience in the heart of Palm Springs, ahead of its time music curation, and devout community. In celebration of this milestone, Splash House 2023 returns this summer for its second triple-weekender season June 9-11, August 11-13, and August 18-20.
The event has evolved from a renegade poolside weekender into one of the most in-demand dance music festivals in North America, all the while retaining a distinct sense of style rooted in the culture and allure of Palm Springs. Vast desert landscapes and unique accommodations at the Renaissance, Margaritaville, and Saguaro Hotels converge with fashion-forward audiences and forward-thinking musical bookings to create a new way to experience the travel hotspot.
In turn, Splash House has attracted a new generation of travelers to the desert city, which saw an economic impact of $6.7M per weekend from the three event weekends alone in 2022.
Chairman of PS Resorts Aftab Dada said on Splash House’s decade-long role in driving youth travel in the area, “Splash House is a home grown and incredibly successful music event for the City of Palm Springs and our destination. It has revitalized tourism in our slow summer months and attracted a younger generation. The festival is proof that Palm Springs is a destination for all ages”.
Scott White, President & CEO of Visit Greater Palm Springs added, “Splash House was a game-changer 10 years ago, attracting new visitors to Greater Palm Springs during our Summer months. We are excited about their continued success and the important economic impact this event has on our community”.
It remains the ease and comfort of the Splash House experience that makes it a favorite amongst its dedicated followers. All packages come with festival passes, a three-night stay at any of the three host resorts, and shuttle transportation between venues. Guests can relax in the comfort of a poolside room or catch their favorite artists from the balcony before making their way down to the dance floor.
At night, attendees can experience After Hours programming at the Palm Springs Air Museum while enjoying an open-air dance floor and witnessing artists perform alongside historic aircrafts, all backdropped by the San Jacinto Mountains.
As a barometer for what’s next in electronic music, Splash House has hosted acts like RÜFÜS DU SOL, Flume, and Classixx before they hit the world’s stage, alongside global selectors like The Blessed Madonna, DJ Harvey, Dom Dolla, TOKiMONSTA, Kaytranada, and more.
Presale passes and hotel packages for all three weekends will be available to purchase on Thurs, February 9 at 12PM PT. Those interested can register for the presale now on their site. Check out all pass types and hotel package options on splashhouse.com. Alumni Access returners get first access at hotel packages and passes and can check their status on the website. GA passes start at $165 + fees and hotel packages start at $1,000 + fees. Guests must be 21+ in order to purchase.
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