WriteGirl Alum Amanda Gorman Performed Poetry at Biden-Harris Inauguration

We’re so excited! WriteGirl alum Amanda Gorman was named Inaugural Poet for the 59th Inaugural Ceremonies on Jan. 20, 2021, when Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Kamala D. Harris were sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States.

The swearing-in ceremony took place on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

WriteGirl hosted an online watch party on Inauguration Day for its volunteers, alumnae and current teen participants to watch her performance.

Amanda performed her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the event, which also included the national anthem sung by Lady Gaga and a musical performance by Jennifer Lopez. Other participants in the swearing-in ceremony included Father Leo J. O’Donovan delivering the invocation, Andrea Hall leading the Pledge of Allegiance and Rev. Dr. Silvester Beaman giving the benediction.

Amanda was born and raised in Los Angeles, and from an early age, she turned to writing to cope with her speech impediment. At age 14, she joined WriteGirl and attended WriteGirl’s monthly creative writing workshops on genres ranging from poetry to songwriting. She was matched with writing mentors for one-on-one mentoring, and while in WriteGirl, Amanda was named the first-ever Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate.

“WriteGirl has been pivotal in my life. It’s been thanks to their support that I’ve been able to chase my dreams as a writer,” Amanda said. “Special shout-out to my former mentors Michelle and Dinah. Couldn’t have gotten here without you!”

Amanda Gorman is the youngest Inaugural Poet in U.S. history, at just 22 years old. She also made history in 2017 when she was named the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States. Amanda recently graduated cum laude from Harvard University and she has two books forthcoming with Penguin Random House – her children's book Change Sings and an upcoming poetry collection.

"We're extremely proud and excited for a WriteGirl alum to take the national stage and share her powerful voice at a pivotal moment in our nation's history,” said WriteGirl Executive Director Keren Taylor. “We have no doubt Amanda's messages of hope, unity and justice will help us all heal and move forward."

In performing her poetry on Jan. 20th, Amanda joined a handful of poets who were asked to join the inaugural ceremonies, beginning in 1961 with John F. Kennedy inviting Robert Frost to read his poem “The Gift Outright.” Bill Clinton followed suit in 1993 with Maya Angelou, who won a GRAMMY Award for her performance of “On the Pulse of Morning,” and Miller Williams in 1997. Barack Obama included poets Elizabeth Alexander and Richard Blanco in his inaugural ceremonies.

You can watch Amanda's full performance below.