Ever since Amanda Gorman [1] gave a poetry reading at the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris [2], we've been captivated by her words of wisdom [3]. While the 23-year-old stepped into the spotlight as a literary icon, she's so much more than that. She's also an author [4], an activist, an IMG model [5], and now a Vogue cover star. In a beautiful cover story written by Doreen St. Félix and photographed by Annie Leibovitz for the magazine's May 2021 issue [6], Amanda gets candid about her newfound fame and how she hopes to be "a stepping-stone for change" and inspire others to step into their greatness. The cover story is also a historic moment as Amanda is the first poet to cover the magazine [7]. See some of her most inspiring quotes (and stunning portraits) from the cover story ahead.
- On the journey of getting to where she is now in life: "It took so much labor, not only on behalf of me, but also of my family and of my village, to get here."
- On accepting her greatness: "I've learned that it's okay to be afraid. And what's more, it's okay to seek greatness. That does not make me a black hole seeking attention. It makes me a supernova."
- On avoiding situations that could make her seem like a token: "I don't want it to be something that becomes a cage — where to be a successful Black girl, you have to be Amanda Gorman [9] and go to Harvard. I want someone to eventually disrupt the model I have established."
- On being conscious of the opportunities she takes on: "If you see something and it says a million dollars, you're going to rationalize why that makes sense. I have to be conscious of taking commissions that speak to me."