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M any things come to attention. And for the many unable to reach the Metropolitan Museum of Art this year for the Met Gala, accessing all the amazements and pompous displays was a better option. The Costume Institute’s annual event has soared in the public consciousness in recent years because it has leveraged our common propensity to speak, gossip, and develop memes about celebrities and what they wear. The Gala’s digital potential was baked into this year’s event, with thousands and millions of shares happening online, especially on Instagram. The organizers used the platform as a promotion avenue, which worked to an evident extent.

AOC and the “Tax the Rich” Outfit

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a United States Representative for the 14th District of New York, allowing her to serve her representatives since 2019. Of the many attendees at this year’s Met gala, the message created by the attendance of AOC was felt not only within and off the carpet but also across the republican and democratic doors. As a democrat, the AOC dress, attributed to Fashion Designer Aurora James, ranks as a creative way to pass a valuable message while allowing the public to reflect on thousands of issues facing the community.

At the core of the dress, the overall depiction of power and ability in passing messages is influenced by the sheer determination to be the best. With designers actively taking their designs to the world, the AOC’s dress ranked among the thousands gracing the 2021 Met Gala, with evident implications in communicating the public message.

As for Aurora James, creator of Brother Vellies, the designer, the effect and dexterity put in the dress print a statement of a need to focus on doing one’s best while utilizing all resources to push ourselves towards creativity and relevance. And with the challenges that one faces, either arising from a national or local level, adopting the proper techniques in pushing ourselves forward is essential. With the “TAX THE RICH” tagline, Brother Veillies’s founder openly depicted a clear message that changes were happening irrespective of the day.

With the numerous platforms that highly distract people from receiving messages, the Met Gala, combined with AOC’s determination, acted as the best platform for communicating an important message.

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“The Medium is the message” and Hope It Is Received

After the Met Gala, AOC was open to sharing the event’s comments, with a particular focus on the dress and its intended goal. Through Instagram, the democrat New York representative commented that;

“The medium is the message. … The time is now for childcare, healthcare, and climate action for all. Tax the Rich” — AOC

Given the wealth inequality debate that has grown over the years, and the rising demands facing the public, the AOC’s message holds critical elements that, when adopted, create an avenue for making essential changes within the public domain. In meeting the growing needs for childcare, as explained by AOC, raising funds acts as the epitome of meeting these goals, which is critical if realized through a sound system.

Tax forms the fundamental tool for government funding, and as such, through the adoption of the best measures within the government, the realization of predefined government goals becomes possible. However, with rising inequalities, and the growing income gaps, it becomes challenging to have all community members attain the same benefits and realize subsequent sustainable implications as those within the rich domain.

The Message is Not Clear: The Irony at Met The Gala

The call on taxing the rich might seem like a message aimed at the various representatives put in place towards making tax-based decisions to support the government’s goals. However, the AOC dress is a message for all, both attending and those not within the vicinity of the New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. At the Gala itself, those attending exhibit an aura that defines power and splendor, something that the poor within the community cannot realize in years.

However, irrespective of the differences in income abilities, the “Tax the Rich” message is aimed at all those attending and anyone within the global domain. The Met’s success and operations are splashed with hundreds of sponsors and the adoption of critical measures in supporting the Museum. The AOC message was explicitly at home, with hundreds of celebrities gracing the event. As opposed to seeing it as targeted at the congress and the primary policy, it was a message for everyone at the Gala.

As for AOC herself, despite passing the message, the message was also ironic to her. With the “Tax the Rich” dress costing around $ 35,000, the overall message could have been passed by adopting lesser extravagant means. In looking at the overall outcome of the event, this process exhibits positive implications while holding significant criticism aspects for the wider community.

Taking the Message and Making Change

The Met Gala is long gone. Until the next event, which will exhibit prominent displays, there is a need to take the significant lessons from the event and apply them towards realizing the goals that we hold as a community. As a United States Representative, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez played her part, irrespective of the rising criticism of the extravagantly adopted display. As a responsible society, acting upon the message serves as the basis for realizing better outcomes.

Finally

Change is needed. And compared to the silence major celebrities have on critical matters, taking the initiative and advocating for the wellness of others is the epitome of meeting community wellness. With income equality ranking as a community problem for years, the time to make changes that will have sustainable implications within communities is now. And as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has shown through this year’s Met Gala, there is more than can be done for now and in years to come.

"Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society." - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.