Amanda Gorman, the “youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history,” is a name that we won’t be forgetting any time soon. She made quite the impression as she recited her poem, “The Hill We Climb” at President Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021.
Amanda Gorman’s Inaugural Poem
The first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda delivered a powerful poem after Joe Biden was sworn in. She had been struggling to write the poem, but the day of the US Capitol riots pushed her to say what had to say. She stayed up all night to finish it on January 6, the day Trump rioters broke into the halls of Congress, which led to this verse in her poem:
“We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation
rather than share it
Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy
And this effort very nearly succeeded
But while democracy can be periodically delayed
it can never be permanently defeated”
All throughout the poem, Amanda made sure to deliver the words in a powerful resonance, also going back to her story of “a skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president only to find herself reciting for one.”
She then ended the poem on a hopeful remark:
“When day comes we step out of the shade
aflame and unafraid
The new dawn blooms as we free it
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it”
Amanda Gorman’s Bio: Age, Family
Amanda Gorman was born on March 8, 1998, with her twin sister, Gabrielle Gorman. Since both the twins are talented in their own aspects, it should be no surprise that Gabrielle is a dancer and storyteller.
Amanda and Gabrielle were raised by their single mom, Joan Wicks, who teaches middle school. While there is no detailed information on more of her siblings, Amanda has mentioned her mother raising “three kids,” during an interview with Study Breaks Magazine.
“My mother worked so hard while raising three kids to get her doctorate and master’s degree in Education. She inspires me every day to seek higher education not only for myself but for the other students around me.” - Amanda Gorman
Amanda Gorman’s Books Are At Top of Amazon's Bestseller List
After her inspiring inaugural poem at the swearing-in of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, her two books, 'The Hill We Climb: Poems' and 'Change Sings: A Children's Anthem,' are already topping Amazon’s bestseller list.
I AM ON THE FLOOR MY BOOKS ARE #1 & #2 ON AMAZON AFTER 1 DAY! Thank you so much to everyone for supporting me and my words. As Yeats put it: "For words alone are certain good: Sing, then" — Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) January 20, 2021
Amanda enjoyed reading and writing from a very young age despite having a speech impediment during childhood. However, she never saw her speech impediment as a “crutch,” according to Elida Kocharian of The Harvard Crimson.
I always saw it as a strength because since I was experiencing these obstacles in terms of my auditory and vocal skills, I became really good at reading and writing. I realized that at a young age when I was reciting the Marianne Deborah Williamson quote that ‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure’ to my mom.” - Amanda Gorman on The Harvard Gazette in 2018.
