Norma Kamali

Being afraid is real, but trying to mitigate the seriousness of what's frightening you is key.

Being afraid is real, but trying to mitigate the seriousness of what's frightening you is key.

I got married so young. The relationship was very abusive. I mean, he never touched me, but it was verbally abusive. He'd been dating the sales girl, and I'd fired her several times, and he rehired her several times. And when she came in to tell me that she was going to start designing, I said, oh, okay. And I packed up my things, and I walked out. I had $98 to my name.

I got married so young. The relationship was very abusive. I mean, he never touched me, but it was verbally abusive. He'd been dating the sales girl, and I'd fired her several times, and he rehired her several times. And when she came in to tell me that she was going to start designing, I said, oh, okay. And I packed up my things, and I walked out. I had $98 to my name.

Well, thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here.

Well, thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here.

It's really interesting. It's a great question because I actually was just speaking with Twyla Tharp and we were talking about our childhoods. And I remember growing up in Manhattan in a neighborhood with a lot of kids, and we would always be out on the street playing and doing stuff together. And when we didn't have something to do, I felt that I had to come up with something.

It's really interesting. It's a great question because I actually was just speaking with Twyla Tharp and we were talking about our childhoods. And I remember growing up in Manhattan in a neighborhood with a lot of kids, and we would always be out on the street playing and doing stuff together. And when we didn't have something to do, I felt that I had to come up with something.

So I would make up these games. and make up stuff for everybody to do. And they would ask me, what's next? And I would make up more. And she was saying the same thing, that she would organize these things. And she didn't know why, but she was just organizing them. And I think that for anybody in your audience who is one of these people,

So I would make up these games. and make up stuff for everybody to do. And they would ask me, what's next? And I would make up more. And she was saying the same thing, that she would organize these things. And she didn't know why, but she was just organizing them. And I think that for anybody in your audience who is one of these people,

who as a child, and we recognize that it's realizing that it is a childhood action that really identifies the core principle of who a human's going to be or what they're going to do. So I'm still... coming up with games for everybody to play, and she's coming up with things for her dancers to do.

who as a child, and we recognize that it's realizing that it is a childhood action that really identifies the core principle of who a human's going to be or what they're going to do. So I'm still... coming up with games for everybody to play, and she's coming up with things for her dancers to do.

And we were really laughing about it, but I think that's the best telltale sign as to what your path is going to be, even more than if you know what you're going to be doing. But there's a character trait that obviously is defined very early.

And we were really laughing about it, but I think that's the best telltale sign as to what your path is going to be, even more than if you know what you're going to be doing. But there's a character trait that obviously is defined very early.

One of the things is that I think about is when my parents were divorced, it was very rare that this happened. And I grew up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood, and you might have gathered that I'm not Irish and that we were a little different, but the church was very involved in the neighborhood. So it was a big disgrace and...

One of the things is that I think about is when my parents were divorced, it was very rare that this happened. And I grew up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood, and you might have gathered that I'm not Irish and that we were a little different, but the church was very involved in the neighborhood. So it was a big disgrace and...

My mother really showed great resolve and determination to be a single mom when nobody else was a single mom in the neighborhood or that we knew of. And she just got a job. a simple job in a factory. She had to support us. And I saw this incredible strength to do everything she could for the family, for my brother and myself. And I remember I was around 11. She said to me, Norma,

My mother really showed great resolve and determination to be a single mom when nobody else was a single mom in the neighborhood or that we knew of. And she just got a job. a simple job in a factory. She had to support us. And I saw this incredible strength to do everything she could for the family, for my brother and myself. And I remember I was around 11. She said to me, Norma,

I want you to keep in mind, you have to be your own person. You have to learn how to support yourself. So the man you marry has to be the man you love, not the man that you want to take care of you. And I did not understand what she was talking about. I was like, okay, mom. Okay. It sounds good. And I thought, I don't know what she's talking about here, but then, oh, okay. I get it.

I want you to keep in mind, you have to be your own person. You have to learn how to support yourself. So the man you marry has to be the man you love, not the man that you want to take care of you. And I did not understand what she was talking about. I was like, okay, mom. Okay. It sounds good. And I thought, I don't know what she's talking about here, but then, oh, okay. I get it.