Poet Amanda Gorman: Security guard said I looked ‘suspicious’
6 March 2021, 17:34
The 22-year-old who captured hearts at the inauguration of Joe Biden said she was followed home by a man near her home.
Amanda Gorman, the 22-year-old poet who captured hearts at the inauguration of US president Joe Biden, has said she was followed home by a security guard who demanded to know where she lived because she “looked suspicious”.
Writing on Twitter about the encounter on Friday night, she said: “I showed my keys & buzzed myself into my building. He left, no apology.
“This is the reality of black girls: One day you’re called an icon, the next day, a threat.”
A security guard tailed me on my walk home tonight. He demanded if I lived there because “you look suspicious.” I showed my keys & buzzed myself into my building. He left, no apology. This is the reality of black girls: One day you’re called an icon, the next day, a threat. https://t.co/MmANtQqpBs
— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) March 6, 2021
Ms Gorman, America’s youngest inaugural poet, lives in Los Angeles but did not specify where the encounter took place.
The post was met with thousands of messages of support on Twitter and Instagram. She followed up her post with a second comment that said: “In a sense, he was right. I AM A THREAT: a threat to injustice, to inequality, to ignorance.
“Anyone who speaks the truth and walks with hope is an obvious and fatal danger to the powers that be. A threat and proud.”
Ms Gorman became an instant sensation January 20 when she recited her poem, “The Hill We Climb”, at Mr Biden’s swearing-in.
