Amanda Gorman Pushes Change in Inaugural Poem

Lauren Henderson

Sept. 1, 2021

WASHINGTON D.C. - 23-year-old, Amanda Gorman made history on January 20, 2021, when she took center stage and read the Inaugural Poem at President Joe Biden’s Inauguration. Her poem highlighted the good, the bad, and the unfortunate events that our country has endured, but unites every American from every corner of the country within six minutes.

Being 22-years-old at the time of the inauguration, Gorman made history as the youngest to speak at such a presidential inauguration. She was also named the First-Ever Youth Poet Laureate in 2017. The Youth Poet Laureate is an award given to an individual who is devoted to social justice and committed to civic engagement. Many times that individual expresses movements through art such as poetry.

Gorman has shown strength and perseverance, paving the way for young females to follow their dreams in life no matter the odds that are thrown their way. Gorman begins the poem with her success story intermixed with one of the first success stories of the country,

“We the successors of a country and a time

where a skinny Black girl

descended from slaves and raised by a single mother

can dream of becoming president

only to find herself reciting for one.”

The Hill We Climb immediately gained attention nationwide. Former member of the Georgia House of Representatives, Stacey Abrams tweeted, “Amanda Gorman serves as an inspiration to us all”. Actress Kerry Washington tweeted and quoted Gorman saying, “YES @TheAmandaGorman. YES!!!!! God bless you. ‘It’s the past we step into and how we repair it’’.

As National Youth Poet Laureate continued to read line-by-line, the tone in her voice became more powerful, her body language was poise and confident and her hands moved with purpose. Gorman states,

“Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true,

that even as we grieved, we grew,

that even as we hurt, we hoped,

that even as we tired, we tried,

that we'll forever be tied together, victorious.

Not because we will never again know defeat,

but because we will never again sow division.”

Showing the weakness citizens have encountered and how they battled back showed perseverance that not many recognize as easily. In the least, when others thought nobody was watching the hard work that each American does in their very different lives, the globe, our earth was watching, cheering each one of them on.

Gorman built confidence in each American listening that day, even the citizens who listen three days later, months later, even today, have more confidence than before she started the five-minute poem.

Ending the poem rejoicing and uniting each corner of the country mentioning the “gold-limbed hills of the west”, the “windswept northeast”, the “lake-rimmed cities of the midwestern states”, and the “sunbaked south”, Gorman reminds us that we may not be from the same region but we are all working towards the same goal, unity.

Moments before President Joe Biden took the podium, Gorman states,

“For there is always light,

if only we’re brave enough to see it

If only we’re brave enough to be it.”