Elizabeth Alexander is
many things. She’s a poet, many things. She’s a poet,
a philanthropist, an educa-a philanthropist, an educa-
tor, and an intellectual, tor, and an intellectual,
but most of all, she’s a but most of all, she’s a
visionary. In her six books visionary. In her six books
of poetry, Alexander is an of poetry, Alexander is an
explorer who’s constantly explorer who’s constantly explorer who’s constantly n
finding new ways to tell the finding new ways to tell the finding new ways to tell the l
stories of Black America. stories of Black America. stories of Black America. c
And through her work as And through her work as And through her work as a
the president of the Andrew the president of the Andrew the president of the Andrew n
W. Mellon Foundation—the W. Mellon Foundation—the W. Mellon Foundation—the —
largest funder of arts and largest funder of arts and largest funder of arts and a
education in the U.S.—she education in the U.S.—she education in the U.S.—she —
has put real investment has put real investment has put real investment n
into creating spaces that into creating spaces that into creating spaces that h
reflect the country’s rich reflect the country’s rich reflect the country’s rich c
diversity, and rethinking diversity, and rethinking
how we can embrace our how we can embrace our
cultural narratives, whether cultural narratives, whether
through physical monu-through physical monu-
ments or the ways in which ments or the ways in which
we tell our stories. we tell our stories.
It’s remarkable that It’s remarkable that
Alexander had this extraor-Alexander had this extraor-
dinary career as a poet, dinary career as a poet,
even reading at President even reading at President
Barack Obama’s Inaugura-Barack Obama’s Inaugura-
tion—and then decided tion—and then decided
that she wanted to uplift that she wanted to uplift
and amplify the voices of and amplify the voices of
others. Of course, she’s others. Of course, she’s
still as creative as she still as creative as she
ever was. It’s just that the ever was. It’s just that the
canvas that she’s painting canvas that she’s painting
on is larger. on is larger.
Nottage is a two-time Pulit-Nottage is a two-time Pulit-
zer Prize–winning playwrightzer Prize–winning playwright
Elizabeth Elizabeth
AlexanderAlexanderAlexander
Champion of the arts
B Y LY N N N O T TA G EB Y LY N N N O T TA G E
86 Time June 6/June 13, 2022 PHOTOGRAPH BY DJENEBA ADUAYOM FOR TIME
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