7-Year-Old Boy Dresses as Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman for “Idol Day” at School

This little guy chose to dress as Amanda Gorman for “Dress as Your Idol” day at (remote) school. Thank you @TheAmandaGorman for inspiring all of our children to change the world! pic.twitter.com/2pYKUjhOQW

— Kimberly Rowan (@KimberlyRowan) March 22, 2021

Who was your childhood hero? From pop stars and athletes to friends and family members, you probably had someone who you looked up to as a kid. When 7-year-old Jeremy Rowan was asked to dress as his idol for his school's Spirit Day, he knew exactly who he wanted to be. He chose to dress as Amanda Gorman, the youngest poet laureate in U.S. history.

When choosing an idol, Gorman is a fantastic choice. The 22-year-old activist and poet loved poetry from a young age and used writing and reading aloud to overcome a speech impediment. At age 16, Gorman became the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles and published her first book of poems in 2015. She went on to graduate from Harvard in 2020 with a degree in sociology and was later named the first National Youth Poet Laureate.

On January 6, 2021, Gorman recited her poem The Hill We Climb at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Her words acknowledged the hard times that Americans are living through while still highlighting the need for hope. This is the historic event that inspired Jeremy’s costume. He recreated the iconic yellow blazer, white polo neck, and red headband she wore by using items he found at home.

“He said he was dressing as Amanda since he was really enjoying reading her biography and writing a report about her life and poetry,” Jeremy’s mother Kimberly Rowan explains. “And when it came to finding the outfit, he knew right where to look: in his closet, the costume box, and beyond. He had a blast coming up with the costume.”

The proud mother shared a photo of her son’s outfit on Twitter, and to her surprise, it caught the attention of the real Amanda Gorman. The poet reposted the image on World Poetry Day (March 21) with the caption, “When I dress up as my idol I have to dress up as him!”

The Rowan family were stunned and delighted by the reaction, and Gorman even sent them a private video to congratulate Jeremy on such a great costume. “It is really such a special moment for him and I know it will shape who he becomes,” Kimberly says. “The love from Amanda and the world has reaffirmed his choice in dressing as her.” She adds, “I believe this will allow him to continue to make bold choices in the future without the fear that others may react negatively.”

Check out Jeremy’s great Amanda Gorman costume below.