Whether you are an avid fanatic of football and its fast paced gameplay, nobody can deny the impact that the 2021 Super Bowl is making on history. Youth Amanda Gorman is performing in the Super Bowl as the first ever poet/writer for a sports event. The poem itself, according to the NFL “will honor educators, nurses, and veterans for serving our country as the coronavirus rages on”. Through such hopeful words, Gorman attempts to inspire grace and joy in such a dark period.

Gorman first made her presence known at Joe Biden’s inauguration, reciting her poem entitled The Hill We Climb. Through quotes such as “We are striving to form our union with purpose”, readers are reminded of the struggles America must solve such as unity and acceptance of all citizens. Her poem had earned Gorman over 2 million Facebook and Twitter followers within 24 hours.

Now, at the 2021 Super Bowl, Gorman will honor people such as Trimaine Davis, Suzie Dorner, and James Martin. Davis is a Los Angeles educator who aided the country in providing access to devices such as Zoom and Google Meet to ensure every student gains a fair education during the pandemic. Dorner was a former ICU Nurse who had lost both of her grandparents to the coronavirus, but persists forward to develop a cure for America’s sake. Martin is a retired marine veteran who now makes donations to movements such as Black Lives Matter and those less fortunate. All of these American heroes will be addressed in Gorman’s Super Bowl LV poem, whose name remans unknown.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell states, “During this challenging time in our lives, Trimaine, Suzie, and James have exemplified the essence of leadership, each in their own way. We are grateful for their commitment and are proud to recognize their stories and share them during this special moment on Super Bowl Sunday”. Gorman responded by saying, “While its easy to say that opportunity came from my inauguration fame, I’ve actually been talking with the Super Bowl team for weeks, far prior to the invite to and the announcement of my participation in the inauguration. Still, I am humbled to be honoring Super Bowl LV this year”.

This year’s Super Bowl will played between the Kansas City Chefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The event will be preceded by her poem and simply the presence of writers and poets shows the true impact writing can have on oneself, their life, and society.