SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celebrated poet Amanda Gorman, renowned for her groundbreaking reading of “The Hill We Climb” at the 2021 U.S. presidential inauguration of Joe Biden, joins the Professional BusinessWomen of California (PBWC) to open the nonprofit’s 32nd Annual Conference on May 11-13. Appointed the first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate, she is the sixth poet to perform at a presidential inauguration, and at age twenty-two, the youngest to recite her work at the ceremony where she inspired a nation.
Ms. Gorman will take PBWC’s virtual stage to share her incredible journey to the Capitol. Prior to her famous inauguration appearance, she has said, "My hope is that my poem will represent a moment of unity for our country...with my words, I'll be able to speak to a new chapter and era for our nation.”
The American poet and activist was inspired by the work of Toni Morrison at an early age. "I realized then that stories could actually be about people who look like me,” shared Ms. Gorman. Her work focuses on issues of race, oppression, feminism, marginalization and the African diaspora. She writes poems that comment on social justice, and issues like the intersectionality between feminism and race. She also translates the connection of fashion and poetry, noting the expression of icons such as Maya Angelou, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Michelle Obama.
"From the moment Amanda Gorman began to recite ‘The Hill We Climb’ on the inauguration stage, we recognized the power and influence her words carried to the American people regardless of gender, age, race, background or political affiliation.” said Nicole Soluri, PBWC CEO. “We are beyond delighted to welcome her to IgniteCHANGE from May 11-13. Ms. Gorman is an inspiration and a light that will continue to shine bright—and we are thrilled she will share her radiant energy with us and thousands within the PBWC community at this year’s conference.”
Her work has been featured and published in many major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Glamour Magazine, The Boston Globe, The Huffington Post, Elle UK, The Today Show, MTV, Teen Vogue, Seventeen Magazine, TIDAL, Essence's Woke 100 list, Time for Kids, Yahoo Style, the Google Assistant, and she was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine. Ms. Gorman has notably performed for Secretary Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Malala Yousafzai, among others.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ms. Gorman aspires to be a human rights activist and intends to run for president in 2036. She has two upcoming books, the poetry collection The Hill We Climb and Change Sings: A Children's Anthem. A book version of her poem "The Hill We Climb" was released March 30, with a foreword by Oprah Winfrey. She is a cum laude graduate of Harvard University.
PBWC, one of the largest women's organizations with a diverse community of more than 42,000 professionals worldwide, provides skill development and networking opportunities that break down silos, bridging seniority, specialty, gender, race and identity.
On May 11-13, 2021, PBWC will host a global virtual event for thousands of women and men of all backgrounds to empower, inform and ignite professional advancement. The conference experience, along with PBWC’s year-long programming, is designed to give attendees the tools, inspiration and networking opportunities to grow their careers, achieve their ambitions, support their colleagues and give back to their communities.
IgniteCHANGE conference attendees will hear influential narratives, grow their networks, and gain tools to transform their communities. Participants will experience daily live-stream keynote and seminar presentations; connect through moderated networking sessions, direct messaging and face-to-face meetings; celebrate PBWC’s class of 2021 Industry Leaders and Scholarship Program recipients; and visit a virtual Exhibit Hall with bonus content and online gift bag discounts. Most conference benefits will be available and accessible on-demand through mid-June.
Leading a powerful lineup of speakers, Ms. Gorman is proud to IgniteCHANGE everywhere. When racially profiled near her home, she tweeted, "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."
Hear how she is creating change in the world and challenging social norms with her words at PBWC’s 2021 Conference, IgniteCHANGE.
Registration for the three-day event is now open with tickets priced at $399.
For more information, please visit: conference.pbwc.org
About PBWC
The Professional BusinessWomen of California (PBWC) was founded in 1989 by U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Speier to provide skill development, networking opportunities and inspiration to women at all career levels to achieve their ambitions and collectively advance gender equality in professional settings. Community events, monthly webinars, an Annual Conference, a Young Women’s Professional Summit and a Senior Leadership Forum, provide platforms for professional and personal growth through tools, training, workshops, resources, mentoring and motivation. The organization also presents annual academic scholarships to at least three California women who are high school seniors. PBWC is headquartered in Northern California and is one of the nation’s largest women’s organizations, with a diverse community of over 42,000 professionals worldwide and dozens of corporate sponsors and media partners. Learn more at pbwc.org.
For more information, contact:
Nicole Soluri
nicole@pbwc.org
415.857.2923
Related Links
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