Earlier this week, ahead of the 20th annual UNICEF Gala, presidential inaugural poet Amanda Gorman was announced as the organization’s newest ambassador.
Her post comes after years of support for UNICEF USA, including a recent visit to the organization’s humanitarian warehouse, where she packed supply boxes for children living in conflict.
As a new ambassador, Gorman will use her platform as an advocate for children’s rights, focusing on education, gender equality, and emergencies.
“Working with UNICEF has shown me that when we choose to uplift children, we are choosing to uplift our shared future,” Gorman said in a statement.
“It is an honor to become a UNICEF Ambassador and to stand with an organization that turns possibility into action every single day, especially for children living through crisis. I couldn't be prouder to work alongside UNICEF and continue to support their mission to provide essential aid to children worldwide.”
The Gala celebrated UNICEF’s efforts across the globe, featuring performances from Leon Bridges and a Questlove DJ set at the after-party.
But Gorman was also a centerpiece of the event, celebrating her new title with the organization and performing a new poem written for this milestone.
It is titled “With This Bright Voice,” and a portion of the piece can be read and viewed below:
In addition to the compelling performances, an audience of nearly 450 people also participated in a paddle-raise fundraiser, purchasing lifesaving items for UNICEF’s clients, including high-performance tents, vaccinations, early childhood development kits, and girls' empowerment packs.
Timed with its Giving Tuesday efforts — which raised a collective $7.4 million — the organization continued to lean into its theme, “It Is Possible,” inviting people from all walks of life to contribute to its efforts of children’s empowerment.
“What we want people to remember and to really know is that it still is possible to make a difference,” UNICEF USA CEO and President Michael J. Nyenhuis said in a statement.
“Despite the crises, despite the headwinds that are going on all over the place, we make a real difference every day. We’ve got the data to show it. We’ve got the results of our programs to show it. It is possible to make a difference for children.”
To support UNICEF’s efforts, donors can contribute online.
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Header image by Noam Galai/Getty Images for UNICEF USA
