Birthday: March 7, 1998
Who is Amanda Gorman?
Amanda Gorman is an L.A. native poet and humanitarian activist. Through her works, she tries to talk about oppression from the police, racism, discrimination, and women's rights.
She graduated from Harvard University in 2020 with a cum-laude status and was named the youngest poet ever to read an inauguration poem in U.S. history.
She has received many awards for her works and has published for New York Times and Penguin Random House. Some of her famous works are Change Sings, The Hill We Climb, and The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough.
Five facts about Amanda Gorman:
- Amanda is the originator and executive director of One Pen One Page, an organization that supports free creative writing projects for underrepresented young people.
- She has a twin named Gabrielle, who is also an activist and a filmmaker.
- In 2017, Amanda was pointed as the very first National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States.
- Amanda was given with 2017 OZY Genius Awards and $10,000 to help her chase her dreams.
- In 2021, she delivered her poem "The Hill We Climb" for President Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony, leading to international recognition for her name.
Famous Quotes from Amanda Gorman
- "While we might feel small, separate, and all alone, our people have never been more tightly tethered. The question's not if we will weather this unknown, but how we will weather the unknown together."
- "There is always light. If only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it."
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"For it's our grief that gives us our gratitude, shows us how to find hope, if we ever lose it. To ensure that this ache wasn't endured in vain: do not ignore the pain. Give it purpose. Use it."
Biography of Amanda Gorman
Early Childhood
Amanda Gorman was born on March 7, 1998, in Los Angeles. Her mother, Joan Wicks, taught English at an elementary school in Watts. She grew up with her two siblings in a modest household.
She experienced trouble speaking during her early childhood. She couldn't say some alphabets properly like the letter R. However, she didn't see her speech impediment as an obstacle; she uses it as her strength instead. It made her excel at her reading and writing skills.
Amanda went to New Roads Private School. Her love for poetry began in the third grade when her teacher read Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine. Since then, she realized that words have the power to move something inside humans' hearts.
Career and publications
Amanda has been writing poems since her early age. She was only 16 years old when she was titled Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles in 2014.
She also started the One Pen One Page movement in the same year, which encourages advocacy, leadership training, and poetry workshops for young people.
Later in 2015, Urban World LA launched Amanda's first-ever book, The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough. This book contains some of her early poetry works and tells about the poverty and hunger felt by the marginalized community.
In April 2017, Amanda was named as National Youth Poet Laureate. This title has opened new doors for Amanda, such as meeting Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. A few months after that, she performed at the Library of Congress. She delivers her poem In This Place, which captured the heart of Jill Biden.
Joe Biden pointed Amanda to be the inauguration poet for his inauguration ceremony. She recited The Hill We Climb, a poet she wrote while watching the news about Donald Trump's supporters breaching the Capitol Building on January 6, 2021.
Amanda once said that to be good at reading and writing, you will need routine and consistency.
She said she would pull a book every morning after waking up, and she would try to transfer the story from that writer into her own version of work. Some of Amanda's favorite writers are Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou.
Being a successful poet doesn't necessarily mean that Amanda neglects her academic life. She went to a top-notch university, Harvard, and majored in sociology.
Even with interviews, meetings, speeches, etc., Amanda managed to graduate from Harvard University with a cum laude status in 2020.
Legacy
All of the achievements and awards above doesn't stop Amanda from aiming for more. In an interview with the L.A. Times, Amanda announced her plan to run for the presidency in 2036. She will be old enough to be a presidential candidate then.
She claimed that if she wins the election, it will also mean a victory for the women of color community.
Apart from her poetry books, awards, and presidential plans, Amanda also writes children's books, including Change Sings. With those books, Amanda aims to inspire children so they know that they can become future leaders and change-makers.
