While Amanda Gorman captivated the nation with her poem “The Hill We Climb” on Inauguration Day, she’s still learning how to deal with the pressure that comes from being in the spotlight. In a conversation with Michelle Obama for TIME‘s February cover, the 22-year-old poet discussed everything from the current renaissance in Black art, to the advice she has for young Black girls that find their way into the spotlight, to being considered a prodigy. “It’s easy when you see someone who’s young have this type of astronomical life change to think that it’s instantaneous,” Amanda replied. “In everything that you write, write something that is larger than yourself.” You can read some of her best quotes from the cover story below, and find out more about the styling behind her look here.
Amanda Gorman Is Here to Stay: “I Am Not Lightning That Strikes Once”
