Amanda Gorman will become the youngest inaugural poet in US history today by reciting her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the inauguration ceremony for President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Los Angeles resident and the daughter of a teacher began writing early in an attempt to deal with a speech problem. Her writing practice skyrocketed, and at age 14, she joined WriteGirl, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that helps teen girls discover the power of their voice through creative writing. Gorman credits the group’s support for allowing her to pursue her dreams as a writer, reports CBS Los Angeles.
At 16, she was named Young Laureate Poet of Los Angeles, and a few years later, while studying sociology at Harvard, she became the first National Young Laureate Poet.
Gorman was invited to recite at the inauguration at the request of Jill Biden, the incoming first lady, who had seen the young poet do a reading at the Library of Congress and suggested in late December that she read something at the inauguration.
For the past few weeks, Gorman wrote a few lines a day, and she finished writing late at night on January 6, when pro-Trump rioters invaded the Capitol.
His poem, “The Hill We Climb”, will be aligned with the theme of the oath ceremony calling for national unity during a time of unprecedented illness, death and political division in the country. When researching for his work, Gorman was inspired by the speeches of American leaders during other historical times of division, including Abraham Lincoln and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“I had a huge thing, probably one of the most important things I will do in my career,” she said in an interview with The New York Times. “It was like, if I try to climb this mountain at once, I’m going to pass out.”
Gorman will join names like Maya Angelou and Robert Frost in the small group of poets who were invited to mark a presidential inauguration. To prepare for the event on Wednesday, she asked two poets from the previous inauguration, Elizabeth Alexander and Richard Blanco, for advice.
Blanco offered comforting words, Gorman told The New York Times, when he said “he is not just one of us up there, he is a representation of American poetry”.
“Now, more than ever, the United States needs an inaugural poem,” said Gorman. “Poetry is usually the touchstone to which we return when we have to remember the history we are in and the future we stand for.”
Gorman’s future is bright: she has two books published soon, including the children’s book “Change Sings”, which will be released in September. She also announced her intentions to run for president in 2036, reports the LA Times, the first electoral cycle in which she will be old enough to do so. The poet credits the political career and achievements of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris for inspiring his plans.
“There is no denying that a victory for her is a victory for all of us who would like to see us represented as women of color in public office,” Gorman told the LA Times. “It makes everything more imaginable. Once girls can see, girls can be. Because they can be anything they want, but this representation to make the dream exist is huge – even for me.”
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