By Sandy
Published on December 23, 2021, Updated on December 23, 2021
Amanda Gorman: Everything You Need To Know About The US' Youngest Inaugural Poet. Photo credit: Instagram/amandascgorman
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The swearing-in of Vice President Kamala Harris, America’s first female, Black, and South Asian vice president, was one of many remarkable, history-making moments at President Joe Biden’s inauguration. But it was the breathtaking five-and-a-half-minute poem “The Hill We Climb,” read aloud by its author, then 22-year-old Amanda Gorman, that truly got the country talking.
Gorman made history as the youngest poet to recite at a presidential inauguration, but she’s always been a trailblazer. Here are some facts that you’d like to know about the Harvard University grad.
Gorman is a native of Los Angeles, having been born there in 1998 and currently residing in a West L.A. apartment.
Photo credit: Instagram/amandascgorman
As noted in her poem, she and her siblings were raised by a single mother, Joan Wicks. Her mother is an English teacher.
Gorman has a twin sister, Gabrielle, as well as an elder brother, Spencer. Her twin, Gabrielle Gorman, a filmmaker, and activist, has also committed her life to make waves. It appears that they have a close sisterly bond.
Gorman attended New Roads School, a K-12 private school, in Santa Monica, California. She did a speech in the voice of Chief Osceola of the Seminole Tribe of Florida while she was in second grade. When her third-grade teacher read “Dandelion Wine” by Ray Bradbury to the class, she became interested in poetry.
Gorman is an inspiring example of overcoming adversity—despite having a speech impediment, she has developed into a brilliant orator. She had an auditory processing impairment as a result of frequent ear infections as a child, which resulted in a speech impediment.
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Because Gorman had trouble pronouncing certain letters of the alphabet, particularly the letter R, she would say, “Young women can shape the globe,” rather than “Girls can change the world.”
In 2016, Gorman founded One Pen One Page, a non-profit organization that promotes youth advocacy, leadership development, and poetry workshops. Her mother’s work as an English teacher in an inner-city school prompted her to advocate for this cause.
In 2014, Gorman was named the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles. At the age of 19, she became the inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate of the U.S. in April 2017. The same year, she received the Ozy Genius Award.
Photo credit: Instagram/amandascgorman
In 2018, Gorman was named one of Glamour magazine’s College Women of the Year. The following year, she was named on The Root‘s “Young Futurists” list. In 2021, she was highlighted by Time magazine in their Time 100 Next list, under the category of “Phenoms.”
“A skinny Black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president,” the line she stated in “The Hill We Climb,” wasn’t just a hypothetical.
Photo credit: Instagram/amandascgorman
Gorman announced her desire to run for president in 2036, the first year she will be eligible (she will be 37 years old at the time). She revealed on Good Morning America that she is still considering a presidential run.
For a variety of factors, determining Amanda Gorman’s net worth is quite tough. Before her history-making moment at Joe Biden’s inauguration, she had already established herself as a poet and activist. In fact, ‘The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough,’ her first collection of poems, was published in 2015.
Photo credit: Instagram/amandascgorman
Gorman then signed a deal to write children’s books, contributed to Nike’s content, and also performed at the Library of Congress. After becoming the National Youth Poet Laureate, she won some grant cash for college, and a ton more.
While no one knows for sure how much Gorman’s made thus far, estimates range from $1 million to $8 million. At the same time, she admitted that she has turned down $17 million in offers for endorsements that did not “speak to” her. However, online tabloids have reported that Gorman’s net worth is at least $2 million.
The “Call Us What We Carry” writer seems to be single, as of December 2021. To date, she hasn’t provided a single hint about her relationship status nor announced being in a relationship with anyone. Her social accounts are completely devoid of her romantic life. So, it’s best to say that Gorman is currently single.
(References from conandaily.com, rd.com)
