The Journey Of Amanda Gorman
National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman reads her work, "An American Lyric," at the inaugural reading of Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, September 13, 2017.
Poetry is in the spotlight again thanks to the mesmerizing performance of Amanda Gorman at the presidential inauguration of Joseph Biden Jr. and Super Bowl LV.
For the inauguration, she performed “The Hill We Climb,” a unifying call for hope and action. Following her success as the youngest inaugural poet, Amanda was the first poet ever invited to perform an original poem at Super Bowl LV. Inspired by the selfless sacrifices of frontline heroes battling the pandemic, she wrote “Chorus of the Captains,” a celebration of community leaders. Her captivating presence belied her slender frame as she recited her poems with both poise and eloquence.
At just 22, Harvard graduate Amanda Gorman’s journey to the national spotlight is extraordinary and not without adversity. It is hard to imagine that this confident young woman was born prematurely and with developmental problems. Her mother, an English teacher, encouraged Amanda’s love of reading and writing poetry at a young age. Amanda credits the power and beauty of words with overcoming her developmental problems. Her school teachers and mentors quickly noticed her gifts and guided Amanda in refining her talent. Amanda overcame a speech impediment as she gained the courage to present her poetry to the world. Acutely aware of her identity as a Black female poet, Amanda recites a personal mantra to help settle her nerves before a performance. “I’m the daughter of Black writers who are descended from Freedom Fighters who broke their chains and changed the world. They call me.”
Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate, in front of the Library of Congress. (July 2017)
Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate, in front of the Library of Congress. (July 2017)
At 14, Amanda joined WriteGirl, a non-profit creative writing workshop founded in 2001 by Keren Taylor. WriteGirl guides young women by pairing them with writers for one-on-one mentorships. With her mentor’s encouragement, Amanda gained confidence and excelled as a writer and poet. She began to recite her poems before an audience and was encouraged by their positive reactions. Inspired by the courage of Nobel Prize winner and activist Malala Yousafzai, Amanda became an activist herself.
At 16, Amanda launched One Pen One Page, a community non-profit to promote literacy and youth advocacy. Amanda Gorman was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States in April of 2017. In September of 2017, she performed the poem “In This Place (An American Lyric)” at the Library of Congress. This poem is notable for its reference to the then-recent events in Charlottesville.
Amanda Gorman’s incredible journey highlights the need for organizations like WriteGirl.