Amanda Gorman

From blackwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
3201C378-6E0A-4F57-BC89-9011BB400EBE.jpg

Amanda S. C. Gorman is an American poet and activist. Her work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora. Gorman was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate. She published the poetry book The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough in 2015.[1] In 2021, she delivered her poem "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden.

Personal Life and Education

Gorman was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1998.[2] She was raised by her mother, Dr. Joan Wicks, a 6th-grade English teacher, with her two siblings.[3][4] She has a twin sister, Gabrielle, who is an activist and filmmaker.[5][6] Gorman has said she grew up in an environment with limited television access. She has described her young self as a "weird child" who enjoyed reading and writing and was encouraged by her mother.[7]

Gorman is a black Catholic, a member of St. Brigid Church in her hometown of Los Angeles.[8] She attended New Roads, a private school in Santa Monica, for grades K–12.[9] As a senior, she received a Milken Family Foundation college scholarship.[10] She studied sociology at Harvard College, graduating cum laude in 2020 as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.[11][12]

Poetry and Activism

Gorman's art and activism focus on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora.[13] Gorman said she was inspired to become a youth delegate for the United Nations in 2013 after watching a speech by Pakistani Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and she was chosen as the youth poet laureate of Los Angeles in 2014.[14] She published the poetry book The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough in 2015.[15]

In 2016, Gorman founded the nonprofit organization One Pen One Page, a youth writing and leadership program.[16] She became the first author to be featured on XQ Institute's Book of the Month, a monthly giveaway to share inspiring Gen Z's favorite books. She wrote a tribute for black athletes for Nike and has a book deal with Viking Children's Books to write two children's picture books.[17]

In 2017, Gorman became the first youth poet to open the literary season for the Library of Congress, and she has read her poetry on MTV.[18] She wrote "In This Place: An American Lyric" for her September 2017 performance at the Library of Congress, which commemorated the inauguration of Tracy K. Smith as Poet Laureate of the United States.

While at Harvard, Gorman became the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate in April 2017. She was chosen from five finalists.[19] In 2017, Gorman won a $10,000 grant from media company OZY in the annual OZY Genius Awards through which 10 college students are given "the opportunity to pursue their outstanding ideas and envisioned innovations".[20]

In 2019, Gorman was chosen as one of The Root magazine's "Young Futurists", an annual list of "the 25 best and brightest young African-Americans who excel in the fields of social justice and activism, arts and culture, enterprise and corporate innovation, science and technology, and green innovation".[21]

In May 2020, Gorman appeared in an episode of the web series Some Good News hosted by John Krasinski, where she had the opportunity to virtually meet Oprah Winfrey and issued a virtual commencement speech to those who could not attend physical commencements due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.[22]

Gorman read her poem "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration of Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, and is the youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration in United States history.[23] Jill Biden recommended her for the inauguration.[24] After January 6, 2021, Gorman amended her poem's wording to address the storming of the United States Capitol.[25]

Soon after Gorman's performance at the inauguration, her two upcoming books, the poetry collection The Hill We Climb and a project for youth, Change Sings: A Children's Anthem, were at the top of Amazon's bestseller list. Both are scheduled to be released in September 2021.[26]

Honors and Recognition

• 2014: Chosen as youth poet laureate of Los Angeles

• 2017: Chosen as National Youth Poet Laureate

• 2017: OZY Genius Award

• 2018: Named one of Glamour magazine's College Women of the Year

• 2019: Named on The Root's "Young Futurists" list

• 2021: Selected to read at the inauguration of Joe Biden, becoming the youngest poet ever to read at a US presidential inauguration

Reference

  1. Colleen Walsh. "The poetic perspective". 4 October 2018. The Harvard Gazette. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  2. Adeel Hassan. "A Young Poet's Inspiration". 28 February 2018. The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  3. Caroline S. Engelmayer. "Harvard Sophomore Chosen as First Youth Poet Laureate | News | The Harvard Crimson". 18 September 2017. www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  4. Astrid. "Meet Amanda Gorman, the L.A. Native Who Is the First National Youth Poet Laureate". 22 March 2018. L.A. TACO. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  5. Kyli Rodriguez-Cayro. "These Twin Sisters Have A Powerful Message About Making Sure Your Resistance Includes All Women". 18 January 2018. Bustle. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  6. Shannon Luders-Manuel. "Meet Gabrielle Gorman: Filmmaker and YoungArts Winner". 19 April 2016. Essence. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  7. Adeel Hassan. "A Young Poet's Inspiration". 28 February 2018. The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  8. Nate Tinner-Williams. "Amanda Gorman: Poet Laureate, bestseller, Ivy Leaguer and Black Catholic". 21 January 2021. Black Catholic Messenger. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  9. "16 Alumna and US Youth Poet Laureate Presents Poem at Library of Congress". 14 September 2017. Newsroads.org. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  10. Jeff Goodman. "Santa Monica students win Milken scholarships". 14 July 2016. Santa Monica Daily Press. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  11. "Amanda Gorman". Poetry Foundation. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  12. @FrederickLawrence. "@PhiBetaKappa is enormously proud of our member @TheAmandaGorman for her words and presentation of 'The Hill We Climb' at the inauguration of @POTUS. Her words will continue to sustain us, challenge us, and inspire us" 21 January 2021. (Tweet) – via Twitter. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  13. Adeel Hassan. "A Coda to Black History Month". 28 February 2018. The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  14. Alex Hawgood. "How Amanda Gorman Became the Nation's First Youth Poet Laureate". 3 November 2017. The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  15. Sophia Eppolito. "A young poet for whom words are not enough". 21 September 2017. The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  16. Caroline Crosson Gilpin. "Do You Read or Write Poetry?". 7 November 2017. The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  17. Hillel Italie. "Poet Amanda Gorman, 22, Will Read at Biden's Inauguration". 15 January 2021. Time. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  18. "Harvard's Amanda Gorman first youth poet to open Library of Congress literary season". 18 September 2017. The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  19. Ron Charles. "New U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith reports for duty". 14 Sepetember 2017. The Washington Post. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  20. Nick Fouriezos. "How a Young Poet Is Nurturing Empathy ... With Virtual Reality". 1 December 2017. OZY. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  21. "2019 Young Futurists: For These 25 Game Changers, the Future Is Now". 27 March 2019. The Root. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  22. Close [41]Mónica Marie Zorrilla. "Who Is 22-Year-Old Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman?". 20 January 2021. Variety. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  23. "Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Participants in the 59th Inaugural Ceremonies". bideninaugural.org. 14 January 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  24. Alexandra Alter. "Amanda Gorman, a 22-year-old poet, asks 'Where can we find light?' in Inauguration Day recitation". 20 January 2021. The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  25. Steve Inskeep. "'History Has Its Eyes On Us.' Poet Amanda Gorman Seeks Right Words For Inauguration". 19 January 2021. NPR. Retrieved January 28, 2021. Transcript of interview.
  26. Kenya Evelyn. "Amanda Gorman books top bestselling lists after soul-stirring inaugural poem". 21 January 2021. The Guardian. Retrieved January 21, 2021.