The Source |Poet Amanda Gorman Inks a History-Making Deal with Estée Lauder

We were introduced to Amanda Gorman in January of 2021 standing on the Capitol steps in a bright yellow coat and red headband as the youngest inaugural poet in US history, reading her work “The Hill Will Climb” at President Bidens Inauguration.  We all instantly fell in love.

This month she signed one of the most multidimensional agreements in beauty history with Estée Lauder Cosmetics as the first Global Changemaker for the company.  What’s that mean?  For the next three years, she will not only be the spokeswoman, ambassador representing the Estée Lauder brand in ad campaigns and speaking events but she will use the power of language to create a new expression in beauty through inspiring campaigns.   “Amanda embodies a new generation and demonstrates the importance and influence of voice,” says Estée Lauder Companies chief executive Fabrizio Freda in a statement. “As a company, we are committed to nurturing the leaders and talent of the future, empowering them to use their voices—and to use them loudly.”  

Amanda will also work with the company on a corporate level to create ‘Writing Change’ an initiative to help advance literacy as a pathway to equality, access, and social change which will include a set of grants worth $3 million ( the recipients of the grants being announced later this year).  “I’m never just lending my body or my face,” Ms. Gorman said to the New York Times.  “They are getting my spirit, my breath, my brain. rather than letting the world tell me what I should be doing” — or not doing —I realized this is my moment to tell the world what it needs to get done.”   Gorman joins a shortlist of official Lauder Global Brand Ambassadors,  only five have been Black.“I think about what it would mean to me at 5 years old to see a dark-skinned woman with a speech impediment as a spokesperson for a beauty brand.”  says Gorman, “ Not just in terms of what is expected but in terms of what is possible” And fronting a brand as a way to publicize literacy is definitely a way to change, Congratulations Amanda