The essentials list: Poet and activist Amanda Gorman shares seven of her must-haves | CNN Underscored

“I wear this in my shade 8N1 Espresso,” says Gorman who is the iconic brand’s first-ever Global Changemaker and the campaign face of this lightweight matte liquid foundation. “Mrs. Estée Lauder shattered glass ceilings as a leader in business 75 years ago. Embracing this spirit, I am delighted to help inspire people around the world to do great things, to disrupt, to be confident and to be future leaders.”

“I read this in the eighth grade and it was the first time I had seen a dark-skinned girl on the cover of a book and that absolutely enthralled me,” Gorman says of this bestseller by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison. “It informed my thinking on how poetic language can infuse itself into a novel and taught me how to write unapologetically with a Black feminist voice that was my own.”

“I love to comfort read. There is nothing better than sitting by the fireplace wearing fuzzy socks with a cup of hot cocoa and a copy of ‘Othello’ or ‘Hamlet,’” Gorman says. These cozy cotton Cloud Socks which are made in the US by the Black-owned brand Brother Vellies come in 17 shades including classic white, black, grey and navy.

“I love this comprehensive collection of African-American literature,” says Gorman who shares that poets like Maya Angelou, Tracy K Smith and Eve Ewing have been a constant source of inspiration to her. This massive body of work is organized chronologically and includes poetry, short stories, music, autobiography, journals, letters and folktales by over 120 writers from six defining periods in Black history.

“Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is a little luxury,” Gorman says. These 100% silk pillowcases by the Black-owned brand Grace Eleyae will not only help you to wake up refreshed and without sleep lines, but also with tangle- and frizz-free hair.

When it comes to fashion, regal-looking headbands, hats and turbans are part of the poet’s signature style. “I love hair accessories and headbands,” says Gorman, who famously wore a red oversized padded Prada headband on Inauguration Day. Channel Gorman’s inaugural day look for yourself, with this puffy headband from Prada made from regenerated nylon yarn and featuring the Prada logo.