Amanda S. C. Gorman was born on March 7, 1998, in Los Angeles, California.
Amanda and her twin sister Gabrielle were raised by their mother, Joan. Joan was a 6th grade English teacher. Amanda shared her mom’s love of reading and writing.
Amanda had a hard time speaking as a child. She worked through it in speech therapy.
Amanda attended New Roads school in Santa Monica through 12th grade. In her senior year, she earned a college scholarship.
Amanda went on to Harvard University in Massachusetts.
She studied sociology. In 2020, Amanda graduated cum laude.
In 2014, Gorman became the first Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles. The next year, she published The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough. It is a collection of poems about hunger, community, and other important topics.
On January 20, 2021, Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration. At 22, she recited her poem, “The Hill We Climb” for the country.
Comprehension Questions
1. What is one of Amanda's greatest achievements?
A. She attended Yale University and graduated with honors
B. She was the youngest poet to read at a presidential inauguration
C. She is one of the youngest published poets
A. Her twin sister attended sessions so she tagged along
B. She was not able to talk until the age of 5
C. She had a hard time speaking as a child
Your Thoughts
Vocabulary
4. List any vocabulary words below.