First Draft - Elizabeth Alexander

Elizabeth Alexander is a prize-winning and *New York Times* best-selling author, renowned poet, educator, scholar, and cultural advocate. Her memoir, *The Light of the World*, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award. She composed and recited "Praise Song for the Day" for President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration and is currently president of the Mellon Foundation, the nation’s largest funder of the arts, culture, and humanities. Her new work is called *Signals Across Vast Distances: Essays and Tales.* Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices