Jordan Allen
8 March 2021
Introduced to the world at the Inauguration of President Joe Biden, Amanda Gorman is the epitome of the change we would like to see in America. On January 20th, the Youth Poet Laureate (first ever) delivered her composition with exceptional elegance. The now 23-year-old poetess is a California native and Harvard graduate. She previously served as the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles and is the founder and executive director of One Pen One Page, an organization providing free creative writing programs for underserved youth. Gorman has also accomplished:
- Publishing her first poetry book, The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough.
- Performing her poetry on MTV and at the Super Bowl (First to do so).
- Upcoming books to be released already being ranked on Amazon’s Bestseller list.
These are only some of her many accomplishments at such a young age. To say Ms. Gorman exemplifies excellence is an understatement. The thriving poet is an activist who tackles issues relating to the oppression and marginalization of various groups. Even with all her work and success, Amanda Gorman is still met with the issues many women face especially Black Women. Recently she was followed and racially profiled by a security guard. He followed her with only, “You look suspicious,” as his reasoning. It’s sad that during such a positive period of her life; she is still encountering these obstacles. This is the reality for her and many others. But at this moment, I would like to commend all the positive impact she has made. Thank you, Amanda. Thank you, for continuing to break through barriers, for continuing to push the conversation, and for staying optimistic in a world that doesn’t always give you a reason to. Happy Women’s Day!
