RICHARD BLANCO, INAUGURAL POET, VISITS THE RITZ-CARLTON, PALM BEACH FOR A “PLUM BLUSH OF DUSK” POETRY READING BENEFITTING PALM BEACH COUNTY HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
PALM BEACH, Fla., (May 1, 2013)—In support of the 25th anniversary of Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco will delight guests with a poetry reading for the “Plum Blush of Dusk” soiree at The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach on Wednesday, May 1st. The inaugural poem “One Today,” resonated with the country and was a poignant highlight of President Obama’s 2nd inauguration ceremony. “The poem he [Blanco] presented, was called “a humble, modest poem, one presented to a national audience as a gift of [camaraderie], and in the context of political, pop, and media culture, a quiet assertion that poetry deserves its place in our thoughts on this one day, and every day,” said Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly.
In rapt attention, audiences fell under the spell of Richard’s words–classic prose to poetic beauty. Expressions so moving and visual, that one could almost touch the words. In true poetry in motion, Richard Blanco embraced the rich kaleidoscope of the nation’s people. The fifth poet to read at an inauguration, he is the first immigrant, the first Latino, the first openly gay person and the youngest person to be the U.S. inaugural poet. On Mr. Blanco’s first visit to the Palm Beaches as the “pop star poet,” this reception is a perfect way to honor Richard as an artist and celebrate tolerance.
As the sun sets to the west, this grassroots occasion will be intimate gathering by the firepit on the oceanfront terrace. This event is limited capacity, however, a VIP meet and greet will be available. Following the VIP reception, guests will be treated to a 15 minute poetry reading and reception from 7:30PM – 9:00PM.
For more information on tickets, please call Palm Beach County Human Rights Council 561-586-0203 or visit www.pbchrc.org. For more information about “Plum Blush of Dusk” and/or The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach, please call 1-561-533-6000 or visit, www.ritzcarlton.com/palmbeach
The following excerpt is from One Today…
“One sky, toward which we sometimes lift our eyes
tired from work: some days guessing at the weather
of our lives, some days giving thanks for a love
that loves you back, sometimes praising a mother
who knew how to give, or forgiving a father
who couldn’t give what you wanted.
We head home: through the gloss of rain or weight
of snow, or the plum blush of dusk, but always—home,
always under one sky, our sky. And always one moon
like a silent drum tapping on every rooftop
and every window, of one country—all of us—
facing the stars
hope—a new constellation
waiting for us to map it,
waiting for us to name it—together.” Richard Blanco
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About The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach
The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach is a Forbes Five Star and 2013 AAA Five Diamond Award property, which completed a more-than $130 million transformation in 2009. The beachfront resort welcomes guests with breath taking ocean views immediately upon entry and a gorgeous outdoor terrace with evening ambiance and a fire pit. There are 310 spacious guestrooms and luxurious suites – including the 2,755-square-foot Presidential Suite – and 23,000 square feet of indoor meeting space. Dining options include Angle, a contemporary American supper club; Temple Orange for traditional American/ Mediterranean comfort food; Breeze as a chic burger bistro set ocean side; Oceanfront Cabanas for intimate affairs; Eau Spa Café; and Stir Bar in the lobby lounge for light nibbles and refreshments. The Business Lounge and Resort Cabanas cater to travellers who wish to combine work and play. Eau Spa offers a contemporary take on spa-going and day-long unwinding with a multitude of fanciful treatments, a full-service salon and Eau- fitness Center. For more information visit www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/palm_beach.
About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 82 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, an award that originated in 1987. Its purpose is to promote the awareness of quality excellence, recognize quality achievements of companies and publicize successful quality strategies. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company won the award in 1992 and 1999. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR).
About Richard Blanco
Richard Blanco is an American poet and teacher. Blanco, born in Madrid, immigrated as an infant with his Cuban exile family to Miami, and was raised and educated there. He earned a B.S. from Florida International University in Civil Engineering in 1991 and his Master in Fine Arts in Creative Writing in 1997. He taught at Georgetown University, American University, Central Connecticut State University, and Writer’s Center. His poems have appeared in top literary journals including, The Nation, the New Republic, Ploughshares, Michigan Quarterly Review, and TriQuarterly Review; and several anthologies including, The Best American Poetry, Great American Prose Poems, Breadloaf Anthology of New American Poets, and American Poetry: The Next Generation. He has been featured on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, and various conferences and venues including the Miami Book Fair, The Southern Writers Conference, The Sunken Garden Poetry Festival, the Dodge Poetry Festival, and The Poetry Center at Smith College. Blanco is recipient of two Florida Artist Fellowships, a Residency Fellowship from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and is a John Ciardi Fellow of the Bread Loaf Writers Conference.
About Palm Beach County Human Rights Council
The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, a local non-profit organization, is dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. The Council promotes equality, through education, advocacy, direct action, impact litigation, and community outreach.