Amanda Gorman Explains Why She Plans to Run For President in 2038

Amanda Gorman, the young poet who captivated viewers and attendees during President Joe Biden’s inauguration, plans to attend another inauguration in 2036- this time her own.

In an interview on TODAY, the 23-year-old explained why she plans to one day run for president.

The poet and author told Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kobt that for years, she’s dreamed of running for president once she meets the required age.

Her dream was cultivated in the classroom and from a young age, she knew she wanted to make a change in the world.

“I remember being around 11 years old, and I was in class talking very passionately as I do about things I wanted to change in the world. My teacher said to me quite jokingly, ‘Ha ha, you should run for president,’ and I said ‘Yes, I should,’” said Gorman.

“It became this ambition where, for me, it means that the hopes that I have for making the world a better place, I have to think more expansively beyond poetry. It’s not just writing, it’s doing right as well,” she said. “And if I can do that while changing political institutions, changing the quality of life in my own home country, I think that’s a great extension of poetry,” she added.

The young poet already boasts an impressive list of accolades, from being a Harvard graduate to overcoming a speech impediment who ultimately became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, her next goal is to be the first Black female president.

When hearing Gorman recite poetry, one might not know that she once struggled with a speech impediment, but through hard work, she overcame that obstacle.

“I had to put in the work, the labor. I listened to ‘Hamilton’ a lot and tried to rap with the actors. Over time that not only engaged my love for poetry, but engaged my love for my own voice to the point that I could have a stage and could hear it with love and acceptance,” she said.

Since conquering her speech impediment, Gorman has become an accomplished poet and has written two poetry books, and recently wrote a children’s book titled “Change Sings.”

The book is about a young girl who goes on a musical journey with a variety of characters trying to change different communities around the world.

“For me, I wanted to write a children’s book in which young readers can see themselves as real agents of change within the world,” she said.

Her inspiration came from conversations about change that she had with those surrounding her.

“I was speaking with so many family members and guardians who have asked me, ‘How do I talk about the world with my child?’ And I said, ‘First and foremost, by highlighting how important they are to our future, and that’s really the core of the message of ‘Change Sings.'”

She continues to inspire her readers through her poetry and passion for changing the world.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Mitchell