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On Monday, Krista was planted in the East Room of the White House receiving her medal from President Obama. Absolutely surreal. Family duties had me roaming around northern Minnesota at that time, so we stopped off at a Cenex station to watch the live video stream on my phone. At the moment when she bowed her head, my wife and I looked at each other and got a might bit weepy.
She joins an incredible list of past medal recipients, including Joan Didion, Wendell Berry, Steven Spielberg, Studs Terkel, Quincy Jones, and Bill Moyers, to name a few. As someone who has worked with Krista more than a decade on this adventure, I’m so pleased we can share this moment with you. It’s been an absolute honor and I couldn’t be more heartened to see her recognized for her talents… and tenacity.
Oh, and you really ought to watch the full ceremony aboe. Seeing legendary artists like Bill T. Jones and Julia Alvarez cross the same stage is an absolutely moving experience as an American, and as a fan of their work.