Amanda Gorman

“I have to interweave my poetry with purpose. For me, that purpose is to help people, and to shed a light on issues that have far too long been in the darkness.”

“As a public poet, people often don't see the reality of my life.”

“One of the most rewarding moments of my career is when I'm speaking to a child who tells me they have the same speech impediment that I had to overcome and that they're going to keep writing or sharing their voice after hearing my story.”

“The oration of poetry, I consider to be its own art form and tradition.”

“I'm a student at Harvard University, and currently work as the United States Youth Poet Laureate, a community organizer, and an activist.”

“When you have to teach yourself how to say sounds, when you have to be highly concerned about pronunciation, it gives you a certain awareness of sonics, of the auditory experience.”