Join our GaGa Sisterhood Zoom meeting on Sunday, November 14 from 2 to 4 pm PST when Bertha Gaffney Gorman gives us an inside peek at her world-renown granddaughter, Amanda Gorman. She’ll also discuss the powerful family tradition of storytelling she enjoyed as a child and why she’s continued that tradition with her children and grandchildren.
As grandmothers, we love the opportunity to brag about our grandchildren. Bertha Gaffney Gorman has every reason to brag about her granddaughter, Amanda Gorman. Amanda rocked the world with her inaugural poem, “The Hill We Climb.” Within a day of reciting her poem at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris, Amanda’s books became #1 and #2 on Amazon.
Powerful Grandmother
Of course, there’s a powerful grandmother behind Amanda! Bertha Gaffney Gorman worked as a journalist for The Sacramento Bee (1971-1978), as one of the only Black reporters in the newsroom at the time. She spent another decade as a consultant with the California State Assembly.
Bertha says that Amanda comes from a family of strong Black women who are confident when expressing themselves. In an interview with Marcus D. Smith for The Sacramento Bee, Bertha shared the emotion she felt watching the inauguration. “I’m absolutely just over the top with pride. It’s wonderful to see Amanda doing what she loves and doing it so very well. It’s quite wonderful. I’m proud, my family is proud.”
She reminisced: “When the grandchildren would come for the summer or visit for vacations, our entertainment was to write. They would make a play and they would perform it,” Bertha Gorman said. “It’s just part of what we did. The kids were very creative. Amanda and her sister (twin Gabrielle), her brother, and her cousins were all very creative kids.”
To attend our Zoom meeting, join our GaGa Sisterhood Meetup group by clicking on this link or sending an email to: donnedavis@gagasisterhood.com
