DWC 100 Women: Amanda Gorman, The Hill We Climb

Amanda Gorman is a poet whose voice has come to symbolise courage, empathy and transformation. Her work does more than rhyme or echo; it resonates with a clarity that is both intimate and collective. Through her poetry, she confronts the realities of oppression, marginalisation and inequality, while also holding space for possibility. Within her verses, there is both reckoning and renewal, a careful weaving of truth and hope that invites audiences to imagine a more just and unified world.

Born in Los Angeles in 1998, Gorman grew up in a country grappling with questions of identity, race and belonging. As a Black woman and a writer, she recognised early that her voice could serve as both witness and catalyst. Her activism is not confined to traditional political arenas; it lives within the rhythm and intention of her poetry. Each word is chosen with precision, reflecting her belief that language carries the power to heal, to disrupt and to inspire change.

Gorman’s literary journey began long before she stepped onto a global stage. In 2017, she became the first National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, a historic appointment that marked her as a leading voice of her generation. She went on to graduate cum laude from Harvard University, where she studied sociology, further grounding her creative work in a deep understanding of social systems and inequality. Her early collections, including The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough, explored themes of identity, race and resilience, establishing a foundation for the work that would follow.

Her global breakthrough came in 2021, when she delivered her poem The Hill We Climb at the Presidential Inauguration, becoming the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. The performance was widely praised for its composure, urgency and vision, and it introduced her to an international audience. Shortly afterwards, she recited Chorus of the Captains at the Super Bowl, further demonstrating her ability to bring poetry into spaces not traditionally associated with it. Her published works, including The Hill We Climb and Other Poems and the children’s book Change Sings, quickly became bestsellers, extending her reach beyond live performance and into homes, classrooms and communities.

Gorman’s activism is also shaped by personal challenges she has navigated with determination. Born with an auditory processing disorder and a speech impediment, she faced significant barriers to communication from an early age. Rather than limiting her, these experiences refined her relationship with language. Her deliberate cadence and careful articulation have become defining features of her delivery, lending her poetry a sense of presence and intention that is difficult to ignore.

Beyond the page and the stage, Gorman has worked to create pathways for others. She founded the non-profit organisation One Pen One Page, which supports underserved youth by providing access to creative platforms and encouraging literacy and self-expression. She has consistently advocated for education reform, emphasising the importance of equitable access to books and resources. For Gorman, activism is not only about speaking out, but also about creating space, particularly for young women of colour, to find and use their own voices.

Gorman has faced criticism and censorship, including the restriction of her inaugural poem in a Miami-Dade County school. In response, she remained composed and resolute, reaffirming her commitment to ensuring that poetry remains accessible. Rather than retreat, she used the moment to highlight the broader implications of limiting literature, underscoring the role of words in shaping understanding and empathy.

Amanda Gorman’s poetry calls attention to injustice while also offering a vision of collective possibility. She urges her audience to confront discomfort, to question entrenched systems and to participate in change. At the same time, she demonstrates that activism is not always loud or overt. It can exist in the quiet discipline of craft, in the measured delivery of a line, and in the steady resolve of someone who refuses to be silenced.