Amanda Gorman: Using your voice is a political choice | TED

Summary

In this thought-provoking speech, the speaker explores the power of poetry, its political significance, and the personal journey of overcoming a fear of public speaking. They highlight the importance of honoring the past, particularly the struggles of Black writers and freedom fighters, and emphasize the need to ask bold, challenging questions. The speaker shares their mantra of empowerment, illustrating how poetry can be a bridge that connects people, challenges systems, and expresses powerful, transformative stories. Ultimately, the speech calls for courage, creative expression, and the enduring influence of language.

Takeaways

• 📚 Poetry is often seen as a dead art form, but it remains powerful and accessible to all.
• 👣 The speaker introduces two key questions for their poetry workshops: 'Whose shoulders do you stand on?' and 'What do you stand for?'
• 🗣️ Despite their fear of public speaking due to a speech impediment, the speaker finds strength through a personal mantra connecting to their heritage.
• ✊ The speaker stands on the shoulders of Black writers and freedom fighters, drawing power from their legacy.
• 🎤 Poetry is political because it deals with whose stories are told, who gets to tell them, and why certain stories matter.
• 💪 The act of creating and having a voice is inherently political, especially in challenging systems of power.
• 🌉 Poetry serves as a bridge between people, connecting personal beliefs to broader societal change.
• 📜 Throughout history, tyrants target poets and creatives first, fearing the transformative power of language and expression.
• ❓ Poetry isn’t about providing answers but about asking important, challenging questions that resonate with societal struggles.
• 📝 The speaker honors a lineage of powerful Black poets and reminds us that every story has value, especially when told from a unique perspective.

Q & A

What are the two main questions the speaker begins their poetry workshops with?

The speaker begins their workshops by asking, 'Whose shoulders do you stand on?' and 'What do you stand for?'

Why does the speaker use a mantra before poetry performances?

The speaker uses a mantra to gather herself and find strength, especially because she finds public speaking terrifying despite her outward appearance of confidence.

How does the speaker view poetry in relation to accessibility?

The speaker believes that while not everyone will become a great poet, anyone can enjoy poetry, and its accessibility makes it a language for people and a bridge between different communities.

What political significance does the speaker attribute to art and poetry?

The speaker argues that all art is political, emphasizing that the choice to create, to have a voice, and to be heard is inherently a political act.

Why does the speaker get frustrated when asked to write non-political poetry?

The speaker finds it illogical because poetry, by its nature, reflects political realities through the stories it tells, who gets to tell them, and the people it represents.

What historical significance does the speaker attribute to poets in political movements?

The speaker notes that tyrants often target poets and creatives first because they are powerful voices of change that connect individual beliefs to public movements.

What does the speaker mean by 'honorary ancestors'?

The speaker refers to influential figures who may not be related by blood but whose legacy and actions shape the world, inspiring others to stand on their metaphorical shoulders.

How does the speaker's personal experience with a speech impediment shape her views on public speaking and poetry?

The speaker shares that her speech impediment made her fear public speaking, but she realized that staying silent out of fear would mean standing for nothing, which motivated her to find the courage to speak.

What examples does the speaker provide to illustrate how poetry is woven into public life and political history?

The speaker gives examples such as protest signs with poetic phrases, Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches, and the sonnet inscribed on the Statue of Liberty as instances where poetry plays a role in public and political discourse.

What is the speaker’s final message about the power of storytelling and poetry?

The speaker emphasizes that although it may seem like every story has been told, no one can tell her story in the way she can, and she draws strength from those who came before her, honoring their legacy by using her own voice to create change.