Ladies and gentlemen, remember this name: Amanda Gorman.
On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the world watched Joe Biden and Kamala Harris get sworn in as president and vice president, respectively, at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
But during the 2021 Presidential Inauguration, one speaker immediately grabbed the attention of viewers and attendees alike. At just 22 years old, Amanda became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history to help mark the transition of presidents with a powerful performance of her poem, “The Hill We Climb.”
“We will raise this wounded world into a wondrous one,” her poem stated. “There is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
While taking the podium, Amanda sported a pair of earrings and a birdcage ring gifted from Oprah Winfrey. The jewelry pays homage to previous inauguration poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou‘s 1969 autobiography titled, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
