Amanda Gorman became the first National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States in 2017. In 2021, she became the youngest poet to read her poem during a presidential inauguration. The 22-year-old captivated the Biden inaugural audience with “The Hill We Climb,” referencing both tragic history and hope for the future. Gorman also performed a poem at the 2021 Super Bowl, co-hosted the Met Gala, and was recognized as an Estée Lauder Global Changemaker.
Gorman is a poet and activist who promotes climate change, equality, and education. She has been interested in running for president since she was 11 years old and hopes to run in 2036, the first time she will be eligible for election. Gorman begins her performance with a mantra: “I am the daughter of Black writers who are descended from Freedom Fighters who broke their chains and changed the world.” “They call me.”
Early Life
Joan Wicks gave birth to Amanda Gorman on March 7, 1998, in Los Angeles, California. She and her twin sister, Gabrielle, were born prematurely.
Gorman suffered from a speech impediment and was diagnosed with an auditory-processing issue in kindergarten. This meant that she had difficulty pronouncing the letter “r” until she was about 20. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Gorman revealed that being born early with a twin can cause learning problems in infants.
Gorman engaged in speech treatment. She found the Hamilton soundtrack useful for pronouncing “r” sounds. “I would listen to the track of ‘Aaron Burr, Sir,’ and try to do it over and over and over again,” she went on to say.
Her condition was challenging but also beneficial. Gorman told Winfrey that having to learn how to write from scratch strengthened her writing skills. When you learn to speak English through poetry, you have a deep awareness of sound, pitch, and pronunciation; thus, I consider my speech impediment to be one of my greatest assets rather than a handicap.
Education
Gorman grew up in West Los Angeles and attended New Roads, a private progressive school in Santa Monica. Gorman’s mother taught middle school English in Watts, exposing her to educational inequities.
Gorman served as a United Nations young delegate at the age of 16. She attended Harvard University and majored in sociology. Gorman graduated cum laude, although remotely, because to the Covid-19 epidemic in 2020.
Writing and Poetry
By the age of 5, Gorman would wake her mother up early to write on paper.In third grade, hearing Ray Bradbury’s poem “Dandelion Wine” sparked her interest in poetry. On the other hand, Gorman remarked in 2021, “I actually started writing poetry before I started reading it, mostly because at the time poetry wasn’t something that was taught robustly in my classrooms.”
Gorman heard Sonia Sanchez’s poems in middle school and loved them. Gorman’s reading of “Angles of Ascent: A Norton Anthology of African American Poetry” deepened her connection to poetry. WriteGirl mentors helped her pursue her passion for writing. She went on to perform with WriteGirl, The Moth, and Urban Word.
Gorman was selected as the Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate when she was 16 years old. She won the first National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017. Her organization, One Pen One Page, aims to foster youth reading and creativity.
Gorman’s published works include “The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough” (2015), “The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country” (2021), and “Call Us What We Carry” (2021). The poetry in Call Us What We Carry explores the experience of living through the Covid-19 pandemic. Gorman also investigated situations such as the 1918 flu epidemic for her work.
Gorman wrote the children’s book Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem (2021). The speaker described it as a “poetic rallying cry for kids who want to make a difference.”
Gorman also enjoys writing novels. “Novel writing was my first love, and I still hope to pursue it. I can usually complete composing a single poem faster than a whole narrative book!”
Inaugural Poem: “The Hill We Climb”
After witnessing Gorman’s performance, Dr. Jill Biden recommended he write a poem for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration. At the end of December 2020, the Biden Inaugural Committee invited Gorman to perform at the ceremony.
Gorman prepared by reading speeches from Frederick Douglass, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. She studied the writings of earlier inauguration poets, including Maya Angelou and Elizabeth Alexander.
Following the January 6 Capitol revolt, Gorman revised her poem with new verses. She told the Los Angeles Times, “I wrote an inaugural poem that acknowledges these scars and wounds.” Hopefully, it will help us to heal them.”
On January 20, 2021, Gorman wore her signature yellow coat and red Prada headpiece. She also wore a caged-bird ring, given to her by Winfrey in honor of Angelou. Gorman’s performance of “The Hill We Climb” captivated both the audience during the inauguration and those elsewhere.
Career
Gorman had previously performed poetry at the Obama White House, the Library of Congress, and the Lincoln Center. Gorman’s amazing performance during the Biden-Harris inauguration catapulted her to new heights of renown.
Gorman performed a poem, “Chorus of the Captains,” at the 2021 Super Bowl following his inauguration. Gorman’s presence was planned before her breakthrough inauguration performance, but she has subsequently gotten multiple offers. She told Vogue, “I have to be conscious of taking commissions that speak to me.” Gorman has mentors, including Winfrey, who has given her advice since their meeting on John Krasinski’s YouTube show “Some Good News” in May 2020.
Gorman has signed with IMG Models, appeared on the cover of Vogue, and secured a three-year deal with Estée Lauder as their first Global Changemaker. Gorman’s position will include appearing in advertisements and creating funds to boost literacy for women and girls.
Gorman co-hosted the 2021 Met Gala alongside Timothée Chalamet, Billy Eilish, and Naomi Osaka. At the ceremony, she wore an ensemble inspired by the Statue of Liberty.
Gorman’s poem “A New Day’s Lyric” was uploaded on Instagram’s official account at the conclusion of 2021 to mark the start of the new year 2022. Gorman hoped the attempt would raise funds for the International Rescue Committee, with Instagram giving $50,000.