Amanda Gorman to Bring Her Poetry to Super Bowl LV

If you didn’t know the name Amanda Gorman before Inauguration Day on January 20, 2021, we’re certain you do now. On that day, the 22 year old enraptured the nation with her powerful poem, “The Hill We Climb.” Miss Gorman and her two siblings were born in Los Angeles, California and raised by a single mother. She has had challenges with which to contend, including an auditory processing disorder as well as a childhood speech impediment, but her composure and eloquence during her recent recitation was so stunning it’s hard to believe anything could ever have been difficult for the young poet who was in 2017 named the first National Poet Youth Laureate.

This year’s Super Bowl, if it draws in similar viewership as last year’s, could exceed the 2021 Inauguration views by more than 60 million viewers. This will also be the first time a poet has performed at the Super Bowl. The NFL selected three individuals that it felt embodied this season’s message of “It Takes All of Us,” and Miss Gorman’s poem will highlight Pittsburgh-based Marine Veteran James Martin, Florida nurse manager Suzie Dorner, and Los Angeles educator Trimaine Davis.

To learn more about Amanda Gormon, read the February 4th, 2021 TIME interview with Michelle Obama: ‘Unity With Purpose.’ Amanda Gorman and Michelle Obama Discuss Art, Identity and Optimism. “