WHEREAS, Amanda Gorman was born and raised in Los Angeles, and began writing at only a few years of age. Gorman went on to graduate in 2020
cum laude
from Harvard University, where she studied sociology; and
WHEREAS, Gorman served as the youth poet laureate of Los Angeles, and is the founder and executive director of One Pen One Page, an organization providing free creative writing programs for underserved youth; and
WHEREAS, In 2017, Gorman was named the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States by Urban Word, a program that supports Youth Poets Laureate in more than 60 cities, regions and states nationally; and
WHEREAS, Gorman is an award-winning writer who has written for the
New York Times
and has three books forthcoming. Her titles include
The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough
,
The Hill We Climb: Poems
, and
Change Sings: A Children's Anthem
. She was also selected to pen the manifesto for Nike's 2020 Black History Month campaign: and
WHEREAS,
Gorman was selected by President Biden to read her original poem "The Hill We Climb" for his inauguration on January 20, 2021, making her the youngest poet to have served in this role; and
WHEREAS,
Gorman was the first poet commissioned to write a poem to be read at the Super Bowl where her poem honored individuals for their essential work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She has also performed for Lin-Manuel Miranda, Al Gore, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, and others, and has been interviewed by Michele Obama; and
WHEREAS, She has received numerous accolades and awards including a Genius Grant from OZY Media, as well as recognition from Scholastic Inc., YoungArts, the
Glamour
College Women of the Year Awards, and the Webby Awards. She is the recipient of the Poets & Writers Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award, and is the youngest board member of 826 National, the largest youth writing network in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Gorman’s is the voice of a generation, with her words continuing to inspire and uplift this country at a time when it is so greatly needed; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby honors Amanda Gorman, the first national youth poet laureate, for becoming the youngest poet to ever speak at a U.S. presidential inauguration.
End