Poet Amanda Gorman shares of encounter with security guard: ‘This is the reality’

Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman took to Twitter on Friday night to share her experience with a security guard who dubbed her “suspicious,” presumably due to the color of her skin.

“A security guard tailed me on my walk home tonight,” the 22-year-old tweeted, adding that he demanded to know if she lived in the apartment complex.

“I showed my keys & buzzed myself into my building,” she added.

Gorman claimed the guard then left, without apologizing for his accusatory actions. She wrote that the situation shined a light on the racial issues the U.S. is facing.

“This is the reality of black girls: One day you’re called an icon, the next day, a threat,” she said.

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 5, 2021

Gorman’s tweet references the praise she received after her viral inaugural performance in January. She then was asked to perform at the Super Bowl, for which she also drew widespread acclaim.

As the youngest presidential inaugural poet in U.S. history, Gorman drew extra attention for her performances. She said she use her platform to draw draw visibility to other young Black women.

Wow, a fantastic @washingtonpost piece by @nnekamcguire . We live in a contradictory society that can celebrate a black girl poet & also pepper spray a 9 yr old. Yes see me, but also see all other black girls who’ve been made invisible. I can not, will not, rise alone. https://t.co/tP531SCjrk

— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) February 14, 2021

“We live in a contradictory society that can celebrate a black girl poet & also pepper spray a 9 yr old,” she wrote on Feb. 14. The tweet references an article that was written about the praise she received in the wake of an incident during which Rochester police pepper-sprayed a young girl.

“Yes see me, but also see all other black girls who’ve been made invisible,” she added. “I can not, will not, rise alone.”