Amanda Gorman speech

"The Hill We Climb" was first performed by Amanda Gorman on January 20, 2021, at the inauguration of President Joe Biden. As the youngest inaugural poet in history and the first National Youth Poet Laureate, Gorman's performance was an internationally watched event, and has since garnered significant attention for the young writer. Following an intense and divisive presidency, as well as an especially difficult year for the world with the COVID-19 pandemic, Gorman was tasked with generating hope and motivation for the American people, a task she upheld with honor and grace. She has stated that she finished the poem the night after the Capitol Hill riots, indicating an intense awareness and attention to the events that unfolded mere weeks before her performance.