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Using your voice is a political choice - Amanda Gorman

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TED Talk

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For anyone who believes poetry is stuffy or elitist, National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman has some characteristically well-chosen words. Poetry is for everyone and at its core it's all about connection and collaboration. In this fierce talk and performance, she explains why poetry is inherently political, pays homage to her honorary ancestors and stresses the value of speaking out.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

In 2017, Amanda Gorman made history as the United States's first Youth Poet Laureate

In 2021, she became the youngest poet to read her work at a US Presidential inauguration. Watch her performance of “The Hill We Climb” or read a transcript of the poem

Watch or read Gorman's poem "The Miracle of Morning," written in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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  • Speaker Amanda Gorman

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