Amanda Gorman’s star was born on January 20th of this year, at Joe Biden’s inauguration, where she recited her brilliant post-insurrection poem. She was named America’s first Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, and is a native Californian. She grew up in Los Angeles, moved to Massachusetts for four years for her college education at Harvard (she graduated summa cum laude in 2020) and then, I suspect she moved back to LA, although I’m not 100% sure of that. Wherever she lives now, it’s an area where security guards roam around apartment complexes and follow young Black women, demanding that those young women “prove” that they belong.
A security guard tailed me on my walk home tonight. He demanded if I lived there because “you look suspicious.” I showed my keys & buzzed myself into my building. He left, no apology. This is the reality of black girls: One day you’re called an icon, the next day, a threat. https://t.co/MmANtQqpBs
— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) March 6, 2021
In a sense, he was right. I AM A THREAT: a threat to injustice, to inequality, to ignorance. Anyone who speaks the truth and walks with hope is an obvious and fatal danger to the powers that be. https://t.co/hY9miR0b6J
— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) March 6, 2021
I understand (completely) her point is publicizing this moment, and her intention is to draw attention to the larger, societal problem of every man with any kind of “authority” thinking they have the freedom to police Black men and women. That being said, I would have been completely open to Amanda naming the security guard’s company and publicizing the details of what the man looked like, etc. A lot of these people won’t f–king stop this sh-t until there are personal and financial repercussions in some kind of massive public shaming. Also, it really f–king bothers me that a man was literally following a young woman (who looks younger than 23) around, regardless of whether or not he had a security guard’s badge.
I am so thankful for the outpouring of support since the incident last night. It won't change the truth of what happened, and continues to happen to Black Americans, but it reassures me of what I already know: There is always far more good in this world than bad. Love, Amanda https://t.co/RrsZm9PAsv
— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) March 6, 2021
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
She is such a credit to humanity. What a dignified woman.
She is!! I remember the first time I saw her, she was still a minor, and at that age to have given a resounding, moving and inspirational poem that she wrote, blew my mind!!! I knew that I was witnessing greatness before me and she would be a person that moved people in a manner that they never imagined. And look how she is treated! I wish she had named and called out this racist POS! Until we start calling out racism and naming names, their behaviour won’t change. Why should it? They cower under anonymity.
Amanda ftw infinity
She’s a light
Sometime last spring, I was waiting for a bus with a man and the man was invading my personal space so I moved over and then he started yelling at me and then I yelled for him to ‘F*** off’. Then he started calling me names and what not then I pulled out my phone and started recording and said repeat it again so he can become internet famous and all of a sudden he lost his ability to speak or look my direction.
These people really think they can say and do whatever they want to Black women and we are suppose to take it. We don’t and we won’t.
Tiffany, I am sorry and may I borrow the phrase “internet famous”
I am going to give it to my 12 yo – who was walking her dog in her own damn neighborhood last summer and who was followed and harassed by an elderly Karen. I told her to film the next person who does anything like that.
Amazingly poised and insightful young woman. Publicity IS the key to these injustices; we can never stop talking about it and pointing out the wrongs.
I continue to be impressed by this last, the future really has some bright lights. This is an everyday occurrence for so many and really needs to be highlighted.