Amanda Gorman
Amanda Gorman | |
---|---|
Gorman in 2017 | |
Born | 1998 (age 25–26) Los Angeles, California, US |
Alma mater | Harvard College |
Occupation(s) | Poet, activist |
Honours | National Youth Poet Laureate (2017) |
Website | theamandagorman |
Amanda Gorman (born 1998) is an American poet and activist from Los Angeles, California. Gorman's work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora. Gorman is 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.
Early life and education
Gorman is a Los Angeles native who was raised by her mother, a teacher named Joan Wicks, with her two siblings.[1][2][3][4] She has a twin sister, Gabrielle, who is an activist.[4][5] Gorman has said she grew up in an environment with limited television access.[6] She had a speech impediment as a child.[6][7] She has described her young self as a "weird child" who enjoyed reading and writing and was encouraged by her mother.[1] Gorman has said she has an auditory processing disorder and is hypersensitive to sound.[1]
Gorman attended New Roads, a private school in Santa Monica, for grades K-12,[8] and studied sociology at Harvard College.[9] While at Harvard, she became the first person to be named national youth poet laureate in April 2017.[1][10][11] She was chosen from five finalists.[12]
Poetry and activism
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.[13] Gorman 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]
Gorman is the founder of the nonprofit organization One Pen One Page, which runs a youth writing and leadership program.[16] In 2017, she became the first youth poet to open the literary season for the Library of Congress, and she has read her poetry on MTV.[6][11] The Morgan Library and Museum acquired her poem “In This Place (An American Lyric)” and displayed it in 2018 near works by Elizabeth Bishop.[6] In 2017, Gorman 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[17] and has a book deal with Viking Children's Books to write two children's picture books.[18][19]
In 2017, Gorman said she wants to run for president in 2036.[20][21]
Her art and activism focus on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora.[10][22]
She will read a poem at Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021, and will be the youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration.[23][24] After January 6, 2021, she amended her poem's wording to address the storming of the United States Capitol.[25]
References
- ^ a b c d "A Young Poet's Inspiration". The New York Times. February 28, 2018. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Harvard Sophomore Chosen as First Youth Poet Laureate | News | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Meet Amanda Gorman, the L.A. Native Who Is the First National Youth Poet Laureate ~ L.A. TACO". L.A. TACO. March 22, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ a b "Meet the First Youth Poet Laureate". NBC Learn. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ Rodriguez-Cayro, Kyli. "These Twin Sisters Have A Powerful Message About Making Sure Your Resistance Includes All Women". Bustle. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Hawkins, Khaliha. "America's First Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman on the Power of Young Women". Glamour. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
- ^ Gorman, Amanda (November 21, 2014). "How Poetry Gave Me a Voice". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
- ^ "16 Alumna and US Youth Poet Laureate Presents Poem at Library of Congress". Newroads.org.
- ^ Flood, Alison (January 19, 2021). "Amanda Gorman will be youngest poet to recite at a presidential inauguration". The Guardian. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
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: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "A Coda to Black History Month". The New York Times. February 28, 2018. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ a b "Harvard's Amanda Gorman first youth poet to open Library of Congress literary season". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ Charles, Ron (September 14, 2017). "New U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith reports for duty". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "How Amanda Gorman Became the Nation's First Youth Poet Laureate". The New York Times. November 3, 2017. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Mentoring the Next Generation of L.A. Letters". KCET. April 24, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "A young poet for whom words are not enough". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Gender Letter: All the Poetry That's Fit to Print". The New York Times. April 26, 2018. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ ITALIE, HILLEL. "Meet Amanda Gorman, the 22-year-old poet chosen to read at the inauguration of Joe Biden". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
- ^ "Poet Amanda Gorman, 22, Will Read at Biden's Inauguration". Time. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
- ^ "Poet and former Youth Laureate Amanda Gorman has book deal". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
- ^ "Americas First Youth Poet Laureate Also Wants to Run For President In 2036!". Essence.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "America's 20-year-old youth poet laureate won't let 'small-minded prejudice' stop her". Retrieved June 29, 2018.
- ^ Petronzio, Matt. "Watch the first-ever U.S. youth poet laureate perform a stunning poem about social change". Mashable. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Presidential Inaugural Committee Announces Participants in the 59th Inaugural Ceremonies". bideninaugural.org. January 14, 2021.
- ^ "Amanda Gorman, 22, Will Be the Youngest Poet to Read at an Inauguration Day Ceremony". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
- ^ Inskeep, Steve (January 19, 2021). "History has its eyes on us: Interview with Amanda Gorman". National Public Radio. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
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External links
- Living people
- 1998 births
- Writers from Los Angeles
- Harvard College alumni
- African-American poets
- 21st-century African-American activists
- 21st-century American poets
- 21st-century American women writers
- American women activists
- American women poets
- Twin people from the United States
- Activists from Los Angeles
- Poets from California