Youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman delivers poem at Harvard president’s inauguration
Amanda Gorman ’20, the inaugural U.S. youth poet laureate who has written a poem for Harvard President Larry Bacow’s inauguration, wants to change the world with her words, and eventually with her political agenda. “I am working on hashtags,” said Gorman about the social media strategy for a future presidential run. “Save the 2036 date on your iPhone calendar,” the sociology concentrator tells people without a trace of irony. Like successful politicians, she has a gift for words, and for seeing challenges as opportunities. An auditory disorder that makes her “hear and process information differently than other people” resulted in a speech impediment she has struggled with since childhood. But the Los Angeles native has refused to let it hold her back. “I always saw it as a strength because since I was experiencing these obstacles in terms of my auditory and vocal skills, I became really good at reading and writing. I...