MasterClass Announces Amanda Gorman to Teach Writing and Performing Poetry

The youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history teaches members how to harness poetry and
write words that can change and heal the world

Breaks down the behind-the-scenes elements of "The Hill We Climb" and provides an exclusive look into her personal journals for the first time

SAN FRANCISCO, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world's best across a wide range of subjects, today announced that Amanda Gorman will teach a class on writing and performing poetry. Giving an inside look into her process for the first time, Gorman will teach members how to develop their own poetic voice, craft poetry rooted in personal experiences and elevate their art through performance. In addition to launching her class, MasterClass will be working with Gorman's Writing Change initiative in partnership with Estée Lauder to distribute free annual memberships to MasterClass to support grassroots organizations dedicated to advancing literacy as a pathway to equality, access and social change. Gorman's class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 150+ instructors with an annual membership.

"Amanda's words have inspired millions," said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. "As one of the most amazing poets of our time, she will guide members through the rarely explored life, force and science behind the well-constructed poem, teaching members how to flex their creative muscles and leverage the power of words to help create change." 

In her class, Gorman will show members how to write with meaning and purpose, teaching them how to approach each step of building a poem—from concept to writing and performance. Through vulnerable reflection and candid storytelling, Gorman details her poetic experience, the obstacles she has overcome and the creative writing process she has developed over the years. Gorman teaches members how to pull inspiration from personal experiences, emotions or the world around them and articulate their feelings on a page. To make poetry accessible to anyone, she breaks down the technical aspects of structure, explaining the rhetorical devices used within famous poems and demonstrating step-by-step processes members can use to revise their own work. For the first time ever, she will give an inside look at the journals she used when brainstorming for her book Call Us What We Carry, teaching members how to research and build a foundation before starting a poem—from discovering their personal voice to identifying the right topic based on areas of interest. Gorman also provides an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at her famous inaugural reading of "The Hill We Climb" to demonstrate the powerful elements of a poetic performance while also sharing how she prepared for the historic day. Members will come away from Gorman's class empowered to experience and embrace poetry in a new light—as a force of positive impact and as an art form that is truly for everyone.

"Poets are preoccupied with the meaning of the moment—what's going on inside a country or a person's heart—and how to meet that moment on the page," Gorman said. "I've seen firsthand how a verse, a poem can change the world and I'm excited to help members harness the power of poetry to make us all become stronger communicators, better leaders and more compassionate people."

Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. She is a committed advocate for the environment, racial equality and gender justice. Gorman's activism and poetry have been featured on the Today Show, PBS Kids, and CBS This Morning, and in The New York Times, Vogue and Essence. After graduating cum laude from Harvard University, she now lives in her hometown of Los Angeles. In 2017, she was appointed the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate by Urban Word, a program that supports Youth Poets Laureate in more than 60 cities, regions and states nationally. Gorman's groundbreaking performance of her poem "The Hill We Climb" at the 2021 presidential inauguration received international critical acclaim, inspiring millions of viewers with her message of hope, resilience and healing. Amanda appeared on the cover of Time magazine in February 2021 and in May 2021 was the first poet to grace the cover of Vogue. She was Porter magazine's July 2021 cover star and received Backstage at the Geffen's 2021 Artist Impact Award. Gorman was one of five Variety Power of Women honorees and cover star, as well one of three cover stars for Glamour's Women of the Year. The special edition of her inaugural poem, "The Hill We Climb," was published in March 2021. Her debut picture book, Change Sings, was released in September 2021, followed by her poetry collection, Call Us What We Carry, in December 2021, all debuting at No. 1 on New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists.

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MasterClass is the streaming platform where the world's best come together so anyone, anywhere, can access and be inspired by their knowledge and stories. With an annual membership, members get unprecedented access to 150+ instructors and classes across a wide variety of fields, including Arts & Entertainment, Business, Design & Style, Sports & Gaming, Writing and more. Step into Nas' recording studio, Gordon Ramsay's kitchen and go behind the big screen with James Cameron. Design your career with Elaine Welteroth, get ready to win with Lewis Hamilton, perfect your pitch with Shonda Rhimes and discover your inner negotiator with Chris Voss. Each class features about 20 video lessons, at an average of 10 minutes per lesson. You can learn and discover at a pace that best serves your lifestyle—in bite-size pieces or in a single binge, on mobile, tablet, desktop, Android™ TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku® players and devices. Cinematic visuals and close-up demonstrations make you feel like you're one-on-one with the instructors, while the downloadable Class Guides help reinforce your learning. For those looking to learn by doing, Sessions by MasterClass offers a structured, 30-day curriculum where members can roll up their sleeves, get hands-on and learn meaningful skills through step-by-step guidance from world-class instructors and an active community of peers. With MasterClass at Work, companies can keep their employees engaged and boost morale and motivation with immersive, short-form lessons from the world's best.

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Alyssa Bergerson, MasterClass
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