I think we run into issues when our online brands are not rooted in who we are, and I think we need to have explicit discussions with ourselves about who we want to be, what we want to represent, and how we want to express that.
AMANDA GORMANI think we run into issues when our online brands are not rooted in who we are, and I think we need to have explicit discussions with ourselves about who we want to be, what we want to represent, and how we want to express that.
AMANDA GORMANI did a lot of sitting back and thinking about what I wanted for myself and what I wanted for my country: more unity, more support for the arts and more opportunities for young writers from marginalized groups.
AMANDA GORMANI was born early, along with my twin, and a lot of times, for infants, that can lead to learning delays.
AMANDA GORMANI was writing since I can remember – I just didn’t know it was poetry yet, or that writing could be a career.
AMANDA GORMANPoetry has never been the language of barriers, it’s always been the language of bridges.
AMANDA GORMANBut as for the future, I foresee a world which is more creative, more open, more loving, more ecologically friendly, more honest about its history and progress, and I think a lot of those contributions will be made by young people.
AMANDA GORMANWhen you’re someone who’s lived a life where certain resources were scarce, you always feel like abundance is forbidden fruit.
AMANDA GORMANIt was so incredible meeting Lady Gaga. I mean I’m gaga for Gaga, literally. We kind of just each flew to each other like magnets after the ceremony ended and we were both just crying and hugging.
AMANDA GORMANI think it made me all that much stronger of a writer when you have to teach yourself how to say words from scratch.
AMANDA GORMANThe oration of poetry, I consider to be its own art form and tradition.
AMANDA GORMANSee the line where the sky meets the sea.
AMANDA GORMANWhat contributed to my writing early on is how my mom encouraged it. She kept the TV off because she wanted my siblings and I to be engaged and active. So we made forts, put on plays, musicals, and I wrote like crazy.
AMANDA GORMANWhen they tell you to go back to where you come from, tell them proudly that this is where you come from.
AMANDA GORMANIt wasn’t until I was named Youth Poet Laureate of L.A. in high school though that I officially began calling myself a poet. I just always loved writing, period.
AMANDA GORMANOne of my delays was in speech and speech pronunciation, and also the auditory processing issue just means I really struggle as an auditory learner.
AMANDA GORMANTruth is to act out of the best of ourselves.
AMANDA GORMAN