Amanda Gorman is an award-winning poet and writer. She graduated from Harvard University in 2020 with a degree in sociology and then went on to be the youngest inaugural poet in the history of the United States, where she recited her poem “The Hill We Climb.”
Not only did she perform at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, she also performed in front of hundreds of thousands of people at the Superbowl, where she recited her poem “Chorus of the Captains.” Gorman wrote the poem to celebrate three people who were chosen as honorary captains to take part in the coin toss: Trimaine Davis, a Los Angeles teacher who helped his students get laptops for remote schooling, Suzie Dorner, a nurse in Tampa who works with COVID-19 patients in an intensive care unit, and James, a veteran. She continues to be well known for her writing in The New York Times, best-selling books, and her most famous quote, “For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” Amanda is also known for her works that address Black identity, feminism, marginalization, and climate change. Her fame has just continued to rise.
Born on March 7th, 1998 in Los Angeles, California, she has an older brother, Spencer, and a twin sister, Gabrielle. All three were raised by single mother Joan Wicks, a sixth-grade English teacher. She began writing poetry at a very young age and has published several pieces of poetry including her debut poetry collection, The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough, and her children’s book Change Sings. Gorman’s work often combines her passion for international literature with her commitment to activism, making her a prominent figure in today’s society.
In addition to Amanda’s commitment to writing, standing up for what she believes is also very important to her. She is an activist for education, equity, racial equality, gender justice, and the environment. Amanda’s activism and poetry have been featured on the Today Show, PBS Kids, CBS This Morning, The New York Times, Vogue, Essence, and O magazine.
Amanda Gorman has faced several challenges on her way to becoming an internationally known poet and activist. One of these challenges was her speech impediment. She had a speech disorder that made it hard for her to pronounce certain words, which she worked very hard to overcome. Amanda has openly spoken about how she used poetry as a tool to improve her speech and build her confidence in public speaking. Finances were also a challenge for Amanda to overcome. In 2016, Amanda received a Milken Family Foundation scholarship to attend Harvard University, to pursue her dream of becoming a poet.
All in all, I think that we can agree that Amanda is an accomplished young poet and activist who has overcome many obstacles and will continue to shock people with her ability to write.
