The Inauguration & The Hill We Climb: S2 Ep3

The 2021 Presidential INAUGURATION & Amanda Gorman’s The Hill We Climb

This week we reflect on the beauty and grace that was the 2021 United States Presidential Inauguration. Featuring the first National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, and her stunning work The Hill We Climb.

We talk about the significance of the color Purple, performances by some of our favorite stars: Lady Gaga, J-Lo, Katy Perry and John Legend. Plus the new four legged stars of the house Major and Champ - the first (rescue!) dogs.

Transcription:

[1:06] Mr President. Dr. Biden, Madam Vice President Mr Emhoff.
Americans and the World One day comes we asked ourselves Where can we find light in this never ending shade?
The loss we carry a c. We must wait. We've braved the belly of the beast.
We've learned that quiet isn't always peace in the norms and notions of what just is isn't always just IS,
And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it.
Somehow we do it somehow. We've weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken but simply unfinished.
We the successors of a country and a time where a skinny black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother, condone dream,
of becoming president only to find herself reciting for one.

[2:16] And yes, we are far from polished, far from pristine. But that doesn't mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect.

[2:26] We are striving to forge or union with purpose to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.
And so we lift our gaze is not what stands between us, but what stands before us.
We close the divide because we know to put our future first.
We must first put our differences aside. We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms toe one another.
We seek harm to none and harmony for all.
Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true.

[3:08] That even as we grieve we grew that,
even as we hurt we hoped that even as we tired, we try that will forever be tied together victorious not because we will never again know defeat, but,
because we will never again.
So Division Scripture tells us to envision that Everyone shall sit under the own vine and fig tree and no one shall make them afraid,
If we're to live up to our own time, Thin victory won't light in the blade.
But in all the bridges we've made that is the promise to glade the hill we climb. If Only we dare, It's because being American is more than a pride we inherit.
It's the past we step into and how we repair it.
We've seen the forest that would shatter our nation rather than share. It would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.

[4:10] And this effort very nearly succeeded. But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it could never be permanently defeated,
in this truth and this faith we trust, for while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us.
This is the era of just redemption. We fear that its inception.
We did not feel prepared to be the heirs of such a terrifying hour.
But within it we found the power to author a new chapter to offer hope and laughter to ourselves. So while once we asked, how could we possibly prevail over catastrophe?
Now we assert, How could catastrophe possibly prevail over us?
We will not march back to what was but moved to what shall be a country that is bruised but whole,
benevolence but bold, fierce and free. We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation.
Our blenders become their burdens. But one thing is certain.

[5:29] If emerge mercy with mites and mites with rights, then love becomes our legacy and change our Children's birthrights.
So let us leave behind a country better than one.
We were left with every breath from my bronze pounded chest.
We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one.
We will rise from the gold limbed hills of the west. We will rise from the windswept northeast where our forefathers first realized revolution. We will rise from the lake of room cities of the Midwestern states.
We will rise from the sun baked south. We will rebuild, reconcile and recover, and every no nook of our nation in every corner called our country.
Our people, diverse and beautiful, will emerge battered and beautiful when they comes. We step out of the shade of flame and unafraid the new dawn balloons as we free it for there was always lights.
If Only were brave enough to see it if Only were brave enough to be it. “

• Amanda Gorman, poet laureate

[6:45] Such prose from an old old soul. Wow!

[6:54] Listening to Amanda Gorman.

[6:59] Just Wow, The Hill We Climb

[7:04] The first national youth poet laureate, 22 years old.

[7:11] I don't think in all of my 40 plus years have I heard anyone speak as eloquently.

[7:19] And is beautifully but with such old soul as I heard from Amanda Corman.
I know you know, you've only been around eight years.
She's reminiscent of Maya Angelou and these other incredibly powerful female voices.
But that one was so beautiful. What did you like about it?
I loved how she spoke her mind.
She gave justice, She gave power, She gave passion, She gave courage and she spoke it like nobody could.

[8:02] Yeah, but she wrote it like nobody could like through the eyes of a young woman who has seen so much in this world and her young years.
And then she spoke it with such poise on power. You're absolutely right. Courage in front of the world.
Thousands and million's of why it was. Millions of people were watching the inauguration.
It was beautiful. It was awesome. Do you like how she used her hands? I found that was another magical way that she brought you in to her.
Her thoughts into her emotion. She was telling a story with her hands.
Did you enjoy that?

[8:50] Did that help you see what she was trying to say?
Yeah, it was like attaching and mystical and strange, but in a story way, she So you found it.
Maybe helped you connect with her words.
I connect with her feelings and her power and her courage and the story she was telling.
Yeah, I thought that it really helped bring,
it all in, but she was so captivating she even what she wore was like,
a ray of sunshine, beautiful yellow vibrant jacket and her hair piece, which was like a like a red crown on the gold and her beautifully woven hair.
E just felt like she exuded the sunshine that we all needed to see and all needed to hear.
E saw interviews with her later on, like with big news correspondents like Anderson Cooper.

[9:53] And you could tell that she had just captivated so many people, even with her words after and how she presents herself.
And that gives us all another great example of how, as women we can use our voice for good yes, and command the attention and the respect.
Ah, young black girl, 22 years old, has absorbed the respect and and demanded it with just her words that the respect of not only our nation but I'd fair to say,
anyone watching around the world, right.

[10:32] Like it was amazing.
Even if you aren't experiencing the president election like you said, it's amazing and powerful toe anyone around the world.

[10:46] She says, something that I thought kind of we all have felt This year we braved the belly of the beast.

[10:55] What do you think that she was referring to in that we braved the monsters back to my lover ball theory.

[11:04] We brave the hate ball. We braved the madness.
We stood up, you know, we braved the pandemic.
We braved some God awful leadership, or at least people on the that we're trying to do harm.
And like we talked about at the Capitol in the insurrection, we braved a whole lot of negativity and hopefully we are on the other side of that.
Whether it's with the coronavirus and the vaccines that are coming and that help is on the way or that were coming from the United States.
Yeah, I think that's very true now. Feels different.
Feels empowering. It feels lighter. It feels hopeful.

[11:52] What else did you enjoy about watching the inauguration on TV with me that day?
Lady Gaga and J. Lo talk about some other powerful voices.
Uh, and Michelle Obama coming out onto the stage just in all of their glory.
Do you know what? Did you notice there was a really pretty color that her Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris were wearing Purple. Purple?
Yeah. Do you know why Purple because because it's the combination of what you get with red and blue and what is red and blue stand for, uh, Democratic and Republican.
And so it's actually a beautiful sign of unity. That was one reason why Kamala Harris, um, wore purple. But she also wore purple to honor her alma mater, which is her college.
Um, like the house that she belonged to when she was in college and for the women that came before her.
Like Sonia Sotomayor, who, um, was the first Latina Supreme Court justice.
And she looked up to a lot so really cool to see the symbolism.

[13:11] That the feminine energy brought to the stage supporting, um, President Biden and our new vice president, Kamel Harris, but that they supported each other.
There was a lot of that, even though the inauguration, uh, event itself was very small because of what's happening in the world today.
It was beautiful to see so many layers of consideration and respect and power in positivity.
I'm really grateful I could share that with you.
It was like the light in the center of clouds. Yeah, it was. And then later that night, when we got to see the concert, Yes.

[13:53] Katy Perry, your girl on one of your favorite songs of all time.
I was not expecting that. Me neither. I was like, I was, like, thinking she's gonna, like, sing a song that I've never heard, Which is not possible because I've heard all of her songs.
Literally. It was your first concert when you were five years old.
Took Katy Perry. Oh, my gosh.
Yeah, but then, yeah, What else did you love?
Not in a life splurge on getting very e ruin.
Well, yeah, she's amazing. But you love so many other performances. Do you remember John Legend's perform? Yeah.
Wow. I was dancing on my tip Beat out You were You were a rock in the house Just flowing like your interpretive dance throughout the basement E think just a riel feeling of.

[14:49] Relief Like I literally did a backflip.
I was so excited.
I e not do that on the fireworks display.
Oh, yeah, I really awesome. Appreciated seeing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris families I know really embraced,
their entire family all the way down to their grandchildren and grand nieces on the kids that were playing on the screen.
How did that make you feel as a as a young person to see those people represented on screen and in office, it made me feel.

[15:24] Like you can do things any time in your life.
Young or old made me feel like they really represented the importance of family and in the diversity and family too.
You know, there's some blended family values there and blended family skin tones of that a very important and very reminiscent a reflection of what the world really is.
Alright, it was really pretty, really beautiful.
And on the inauguration night you also discovered your new favorite dance move, which was discretions way.

[16:06] You bend your knees and you move your body from side to side while you're shaking your arms like flowing in the wind.
Yeah, shake and swish, swish and sway This tuitions way is that official name,
swishing way is the official name and go official inauguration dance.
Yeah, I'll be swishing and swaying for the next four years, I think, and thinking of inauguration Yes, major and chance,
Oh, absolutely, Yeah, The first dogs are back and one is a rescue rescue dog.
The first rescued to go from a from a shelter.
So the White House This is true big deal for those dogs and hopefully some awareness for rescue organizations far.
And why those air Two German shepherds? They're strong and beautiful looking Dogs aren't they Bet they're happy in their in their new white house.
Yeah, they probably get their own paradise room. They probably do, do you think?

[17:16] The president picks up the dog poop or somebody else does it. Somebody else. Family. He's got a guy for that or a girl.
You're someone or robo dog that goes like like a rule.
Yummy poop like Ruby. Maybe we could come over and clean up for gross E.
No, but it is cool to see that they brought these beautiful animals into the White House. I think that helps bring life to and is again relatable.
Ah, lot of families in America who appreciate their four legged friends just like their two legged kids or there four legged reptiles or there no legged reptiles.
E. I was glad to see major enchant make such headlines to me, too.
What else did you like about the day and about the opportunity to witness history together?
I loved the idea that it was finally a breath.

[18:20] It's like you're stuffing popcorn in your mouth and, like for the for a year, Step 44 years, different popcorn in your mouth without breathing.

[18:32] And you finally breeze and you desperately need a glass of water, huh, E Well, that's one analogy from a kid for sure.
That's what happened to me on the right. E can't open and naked popcorn.
Yeah, on it's a treat for you, since you have a popcorn allergy or corn allergy. But you did okay, that you did okay. No, I'm not me anymore.
Well, I just loved the strength and the power and the unity that it really felt like there was supportive, um, leadership.
All across the board, there was uninterested message from Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and George W. Bush Junior or George Bush Junior.
Um um, talking about how as presidents, they could be united as one to help call upon leadership, to be positive and really bring the American people together. I thought it was really beautiful.
I loved all the unbelievable fashion, but unity and strength in the women that were presented.
I liked how we saw these men and leadership Joe Biden specifically say how proud he was to see Madam Vice President in office on and how he's creating a very diverse.

[19:55] Cabinet like we've talked about in previous shows, but I loved, loved, loved.
I think the standout moment for me was besides the swearing in of these two leaders was Amanda Gorman really going back to it?
And the last part of her poem when she says.

[20:14] For there is light, if we are on Lee brave enough to see it and if we are brave enough to be it, and I hope that's a lesson thio, all people and all young women,
that if we're brave enough to make change, it matters enough down.
It will happen. Definitely. What do you think about it?

[20:38] I think that's like just like you said, It's a really inspiring message.
It's really powerful to inspire people all over the world.
I think she'll do just that until next time.
And next time you'll be finishing up part two of the episode on racism with a very special guest.
Jordan Theory. Jordan will be the first male on our 1st 1st guy on our she sounds like me podcast.
She doesn't sound like you, but maybe he sounds like you.
I think you guys have some really insightful talk. So we'll be excited to share that with our friends. Uh, next week.
And if you've got some ideas yourself or some passion that you want to share about what you saw at the inauguration, please drop us a message and let us know what you think.
What deal you here with me and Jordan talk about?
Thanks for listening and have an awesome day till next time till next.
Bye bye, eh? So hard is the weirdest thing. Close things up.

[21:55] All right. Before we had out a quick shout out to the awesome friends that lend their voices to our vision at the top of each episode.
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Thank you so much for your support friends till next time, take care of yourselves and each other and have an awesome day.