Let’s Celebrate Black History Month: Amanda Gorman

Who is Amanda Gorman? The First National Youth Poet Laureate

February 23, 2021

Fun Five Facts:

Amanda Gorman is the founder and executive director of One Pen One Page, which is an organization that provides creative writing programs and publishing opportunities to underserved youth.

Gorman has been interviewed by former First Lady Michelle Obama, where the two discussed the renaissance in Black art.

Something that inspires Gorman’s writings and her life’s work, is the fight for social injustice, due to how poetry allows her to speak both to the world’s problems and solutions, or any conflicts inside herself.

Gorman also made history by being the first poet to recite a poem at this year’s Super Bowl. The poem honored pandemic heroes.

Fashion is also something that Gorman uses to express herself and uses it as a form to represent her Black heritage, sociopolitical beliefs, and personality.

*Photo courtesy of* Mitchell, S. (n.d.). [How activist Amanda Gorman is changing the world with her powerful words]. S/Magazine.

The career as a poet and activist has come with great accomplishments for Amanda Gorman. From serving as the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles to being appointed to the nation’s first-ever Youth Poet Laureate, Gorman has displayed significance among Black art.

Born on March 7th, 1998 in Los Angeles, California, Gorman began writing at a young age and developed a love for poetry during elementary school. Throughout her childhood and teenage years, she faced a speech impediment, in which Gorman was unable to pronounce the “R” sound in her words. As for her education, she graduated from Harvard University and earned a degree in Sociology

*Photo courtesy of* Poet Amanda Gorman lands Time magazine cover and interview with Michelle Obama [Photograph]. (n.d.). Black Enterprise.

On January 6th of this year, Gorman became the youngest inaugural poet in American history at the age of 22. By reciting her striking poem “The Hill We Climb,” Gorman has inspired and opened the eyes of many listeners and readers towards the ever-growing world.

The issues of oppression, feminism, race, and social marginalization are the main focuses of Gorman’s work. Some of her poetry writings include “The Miracle of Monday Morning” and “Fury and Faith,” both delivered in 2020 during the times of the early pandemic and BLM (Black Lives Matter) protests. Upon this, Gorman has also written for the New York Times newsletter, accepted invitations to perform for other political activists, such as Malala Yousafzai, and much more. Furthermore, she is currently in the works of publishing her first picture book Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem and The Hill We Climb and Other Poems on September 21st, 2021.

“There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.-Amanda Gorman