Poet Amanda Gorman is speaking out after the news that her poem The Hill We Climb was banned from a Florida elementary school. According to Gorman, a parent complained about the reading of her poem in a school located in Miami-Dade County, and it was banned as a result. What happened is an example of the anti-inclusionary rhetoric and legislation being passed in Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Gorman took to Twitter to share a letter that articulated her feelings on the matter and how those who are equally distraught over the situation can take action at their own discretion.
So they ban my book from young readers, confuse me with @oprah , fail to specify what parts of my poetry they object to, refuse to read any reviews, and offer no alternatives…Unnecessary #bookbans like these are on the rise, and we must fight back 👊🏿 DONATE here:… pic.twitter.com/p96dlnrSp4
— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) May 23, 2023
The 25-year-old wrote the The Hill We Climb for the inauguration of President Biden in 2021, and later turned it into a book. The poem champions inclusion and invoking the spirit of community and empathy in the face of adversity and bigotry. It received wide acclaim for the way in which Gorman eloquently and succinctly encapsulated the moment that the country was in, cementing it in literature for future generations to remember.
