Move Over J-Lo And Gaga, Poet Amanda Gorman Was The Biggest Star At Joe Biden’s Inauguration

President Joe Biden’s inauguration took place today, and, along with the swearing-in of a new administration, the event also marked some historic firsts for our country. Of course, Kamala Harris is key among them, becoming the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first Asian-American woman to become Vice President. But there was another history-making moment during the ceremony and it came courtesy of Amanda Gorman.

Gorman, a 22-year-old recent Harvard grad and the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate, also became the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history as she recited a powerful, moving piece titled, “The Hill We Climb.” Gorman wrote the piece in the wake of the Capitol Hill insurrection on Jan. 6th, and it will be included in her soon-to-be-published book coming in September. The poem, which addressed everything from white supremacy to the hope that this new administration will restore democracy and heal the divide, also contained a handful of Hamilton references that got Twitter hyped and earned a shoutout from creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Gorman addressed her own history too while observing the significance of the day, specifically of Harris’ appointment, saying, in “a country and a time where a skinny black girl descended from slaves and raised by a single mother can dream of becoming president, only to find herself reciting for one.” Gorman, who like President Biden has a speech impediment and auditory processing disorder, managed to outshine other performers like Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez with her inspiring speech, and Twitter was quick to take notice.

We’d like to think that this is proof nature is finally healing itself.