Poet Amanda Gorman became a household name following her performance at President Joe Biden’s Inauguration earlier this year. Western New England University student Nicole Acevedo shares her thoughts on Gorman’s words. Our country was formed on the foundation of the “American Dream,” but in reality, we need to wake up to the nightmare of ongoing injustices in our country. In a nation comprised of various cultural, racial, and ethnic groups, we fall short in representing the people who make this country what it is.
January 20, 2021, marked one of the most significant presidential inaugurations our country has experienced. Not only was Kamala Harris sworn in as the first female, African-American, and South Asian-American Vice President of the United States, but the majority of speakers and performers were also people of color. National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman continues to make waves across media platforms following her poem “The Hill We Climb.”
“And yes, we are far from polished,” Gorman said. “Far from pristine. But that doesn’t mean we are striving to form a union that is perfect. We are striving to forge a union with purpose, to compose a country committed to all cultures, colors, characters and conditions of man.”
At just 23-years-old, Gorman is the youngest ever inaugural poet, and is reaching the hearts of millions.
“I was surprised and pleased by her poem, and I think that uhm, I wish that there were more moments that we saw young, people of color, speaking in such venues,” said Josie Brown, a professor and dean of Western New England University’s College of Arts and Sciences. “Like, how often do we see that? We don’t.”
While Gorman was widely praised for her performance, she has also received criticism. Throughout history, people of color have actively been dismissed as only speaking to “their communities,” but are the American people not their community? When we look back at well-known black voices who have been dismissed, we see a trend where they are viewed as a voice of the black community when they are speaking about their experience as Americans. Sojourner Truth is among one of the most influential names when it comes to advocating for civil and women’s rights in our country’s narrative; yet, her speeches, such as “Ain’t I A Woman,” have been judged as speaking only on Black rights when in fact Truth is also speaking about gender rights.
Our more recent history, 2020 for instance, has undoubtedly familiarized us with the phrase “All Lives Matter.” The expression is used as a counter to the slogan “Black Lives Matter,” and blatantly disregards the essence behind the movement. Too often do we forget that the BLM Movement was not created to speak solely to Black communities, but to all Americans.
“I think people often look at Black people, whether it’s literature, or, that they’re speaking from a Black experience,” Brown said. “I think that people kind of felt like “Oh, she was speaking to the Black people.” It wasn’t like “Oh, this is an American artist that is standing up here speaking for the American experience.”
I think it’s time that we pull back the curtain that is known as the “American Dream,” and redefine what it means to be an American. We shy away from conversations that need to be had because we’re scared of making others uncomfortable. I’ve had to learn to confront my own family and friends over the years about not using the n-word and how they shouldn’t support “All Lives Matter” or “Blue Lives Matter.” Let me tell you, it’s stressful and frustrating, but these conversations are vital to our progress as a society.
“Mainstream America is still only able to consume Black people in certain roles,” Brown said. “You know, like I think about the, and I talk about this in class, but like the Madea movies. Like why do people love the Madea movies so much? Like people, they, it’s so much money. He’s playing a stereotype. And so, we can confront Black culture if it’s a stereotype and we can laugh about it.”
Our voices matter, they’ve always mattered, and there is riveting and lasting power in Amanda’s final lines.
“We will rebuild, reconcile, and recover,” Gorman said. “And every known nook of our nation and every corner called our country, our people diverse and beautiful will emerge, battered and beautiful. When the day comes we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid, the new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
This poem guides me in the right direction, but I don’t want it to be the only voice I hear to encourage the representation of all people. While it feels great to finally see individuals from these communities step into major roles, we have a long way to go. Start conversations, shed deep-rooted prejudices, and open your mind to unlearning ignorance. As a college student, I can tell you those are lessons that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Nicole Acevedo is a junior and Creative Writing major at Western New England University. This piece is part of WAMC’s partnership with the university’s Radio Production class.
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