By Jillian Tresca '24
January 20th, 2021 was a very important day in history: our first female Vice President was was sworn in and so was the new President. While President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were the main focus of the day, poet Amanda Gorman was another historically important part of the inauguration. Most people wouldn’t usually focus on the poetry part of the inauguration, but since few poets have spoken before her, it has some historic significance, particularly because of who Amanda Gorman is.
Amanda Gorman was raised by a single mother and faced many challenges growing up, but she went on to achieve a multitude of accomplishments. She received a prestigious education at Harvard University, graduating in 2020. There have only been five inaugural poets prior to Amanda Gorman, making her the sixth. After being chosen by First Lady Jill Biden, she became the youngest inaugural poet, which bestows great historical relevance upon her. Not to mention, she also read a short poem at the Super Bowl in tribute to all the people who are working through the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the nurses.
She is a truly motivational and multi-talented person because not only is she an amazing, accomplished poet, but she is also a model. She doesn’t limit herself to simply one thing. She has broken down age barriers and become an inspiration to both writers and aspiring writers, public speakers, and models. Amanda Gorman has always had a passion for writing, even as a third grader. At a young age, she was already writing such great pieces of poetry, becoming Youth Poet Laureate of LA at the young age of 16. Three years later, at age 19, she was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate.
During an interview on CNN with Anderson Cooper, Amanda Gorman told viewers she did her research to see how the American people have been addressed by speakers in the past, and how the previous inaugural poems were written. She completed her poem after the Capitol insurrection on January 6th, 2021. That event helped her realize that, during this time, US citizens needed to be brought together and given a light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Yet another noteworthy detail about Amanda Gorman is that, even though she has a speech impediment, which she has dealt with for most of her life, she got up on that pedestal and delivered her speech with incredible poise and grace. She is part of a community of people that she is proud of and embraces, and through her passion she has become a true inspiration. Not only is her poem a beam of light in these dark times, but she herself is like a beacon.
Her fearlessness and the way she is able to speak with so much passion and courage is the most inspirational thing about her. Not only does she have a powerful message, but her delivery and performance leave a true impression. It is not every day you see someone so talented and driven, but Amanda Gorman truly embodies both of these things (and then some) -- she is truly amazing.
Sources:
Editors: Natalia Cseh, Cecilia Fiorindo, and Ms. Brilliant
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