Poet Laureate of Philadelphia

Poet Laureate of Philadelphia is a civic position in the City of Philadelphia.[1] The Poet Laureate has been described as an "Ambassador of Poetry".[2] The holder of the position is expected to actively promote literacy and encourage expression in the city.[1] As part of their position, they participate in service work, workshops and readings. One of their commitments is to mentor the youth poet laureate of Philadelphia.[2]

The position was created by the City of Philadelphia during the city administration of Mayor Michael Nutter,[3] and continued under Mayor Jim Kenney.[4] It was originally managed by the city's Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. As of 2017, administration of the program was transferred to the Free Library of Philadelphia.[5]

> Poetry makes us remember the best of ourselves and others... it keeps us constantly confronting the most important question of this twenty-first century: what does it mean to be human?

> — Sonia Sanchez, 2014[6]

## Poets laureate

[edit]

The position of Poet Laureate of Philadelphia has a two-year duration, and is generally announced in January.

* 2012-2013 - Sonia Sanchez[3][7]
* 2014-2015 - Frank Sherlock[8][9][10]
* 2016-2017 - Yolanda Wisher[4][11][12]
* 2018-2019 - Raquel Salas Rivera[13][14][15][1]
* 2020-2021 - Trapeta Mason[16][17][18]
* 2022-2023 - Airea D. Matthews[19]
* 2024-2025 - Kai Davis[20]

## Youth poets laureate

[edit]

The position of Youth Poet Laureate of Philadelphia has a one-year duration, corresponding roughly to the school year. It is often announced in June or July. The Youth Poet Laureate receives mentoring from the Philadelphia Poet Laureate, and is encouraged to develop a "signature project that engages the public" during their year.[21]

* 2013-2014 - Siduri Beckman[22][6][23]
* 2014-2015 - Soledad Alfaro-Allah[24][25][26]
* 2015-2016 - David Jones[27][28]
* 2016-2017 - Otter Jung-Allen[29][30][21][31]
* 2017-2018 - Husnaa Hashim[32][5][33][34]
* 2018-2019 - Wes Matthews[35][36]
* 2019-2020 - Mia Concepcion[37]
* 2020-2021 - Cydney Brown [Wikidata][38]
* 2021-2022 - Andre'a Rhoads[39]
* 2022-2023 - Telicia Darius[40]
* 2023-2024 - Oyewumi Oyeniyi[41][42]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Crimmins, Peter (April 26, 2018). "Philly poet laureate writes verse on Puerto Rican debt". WHYY. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
2. ^ a b Hobayan, Leslieann (2017). "Ambassador of Poetry". Lafayette Gazette. No. Spring. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
3. ^ a b Burton, Jazmyn (January 28, 2012). "Philadelphia names Sonia Sanchez first poet laureate". Temple News Center. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
4. ^ a b Baker, Brandon (February 5, 2016). "Yolanda Wisher announced as Philadelphia's third poet laureate". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
5. ^ a b Crimmins, Peter (September 6, 2017). "Philadelphia names its newest Youth Poet Laureate". WHYY. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
6. ^ a b Booker, Bobbi (January 23, 2013). "City teen named Youth Poet Laureate". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
7. ^ Booker, Bobbi (July 29, 2018). "Sonia Sanchez tribute to celebrate poet's life and work". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
8. ^ Middleton, Josh (January 31, 2014). "Frank Sherlock Named Philly's Second Poet Laureate". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
9. ^ Filreis, Al (February 6, 2014). "Frank Sherlock named Philadelphia's Poet Laureate". Jacket. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
10. ^ Sherlock, Frank (January 7, 2016). "Documenting Histories, Interpreting Dreams, The city's outgoing Poet Laureate on the poem of Philadelphia". The Philadelphia Citizen. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
11. ^ Timpane, John (February 5, 2016). "Yolanda Wisher named Philly's third poet laureate". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
12. ^ "Yolanda Wisher". North Penn School District. February 27, 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
13. ^ Timpane, John (January 8, 2018). "Meet Philadelphia's new poet laureate, Raquel Salas Rivera: Poet, migrant, bridge-builder". Philadelphia Inquirer.
14. ^ "Philadelphia Poet Laureate". Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
15. ^ Murrell, David (2019-01-20). "Philly's Poet Laureate on the Difference Between a Philadelphian and an American". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
16. ^ Harden, Brandon T. (12 December 2019). "Trapeta B. Mayson named next poet laureate of Philadelphia". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
17. ^ "Trapeta B. Mayson, M.S.S. '95, Named Philly's New Poet Laureate | Bryn Mawr College". www.brynmawr.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
18. ^ "Getting to know Philly's new Poet Laureate". Artblog. 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
19. ^ "Blog: Philly, Meet Your New Poet Laureate". Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
20. ^ Cartagena, Rosa (2024-01-20). "Temple alum Kai Davis is Philly's new poet laureate". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
21. ^ a b Skolnick, Melissa (February 6, 2017). "Why Philadelphia's youth poet laureate is curating an anthology of youth poetry". GeneroCity. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
22. ^ Hill, Miriam (January 18, 2013). "Talking with Philly's first youth poet laureate". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
23. ^ "We can speak': West Philly youth poet takes on the governor". West Philly Local. June 14, 2013. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
24. ^ Patel, Neema Roshania (June 24, 2014). "Philadelphia youth poet laureate looks to 'give a voice to young people'". WHYY. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
25. ^ Snyder, Susan (June 16, 2014). "Sixteen-year-old named Phila. Youth Poet Laureate". The PHiladelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
26. ^ Rybak, Sue Ann (July 1, 2014). "Mt. Airy teenager named Youth Poet Laureate". Chestnut Hill Local. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
27. ^ Simon, Caroline (June 16, 2015). "David Jones named city youth poet laureate". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
28. ^ Staff, Harriet (June 18, 2015). "David Jones is Philadelphia's Youth Poet Laureate!". Poetry Foundation. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
29. ^ Owens, Cassie (July 25, 2016). "Meet Philly's first-ever genderqueer youth poet laureate". Billy Penn. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
30. ^ Villarreal, Alexandra (July 7, 2016). "City's new Youth Poet: Breaking down barriers with poetry". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
31. ^ "Otter Jung-Allen Capstone". Science Leadership Academy @ Center City. May 19, 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
32. ^ Timpane, John (September 7, 2017). "Meet Philly's new youth poet laureate, out of Mastery Charter". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
33. ^ Smith, Alexa (January 27, 2018). "An Interview with Husnaa Hashim, Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate". Apiary. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
34. ^ El-Mekki, Sharif (September 17, 2017). "If We Continue To Cut Our Arts Programs We Won't Have Students Like Youssef Kromah and Philly Youth Poet Laureate Husnaa Hashim". Philadelphia's 7th Ward. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
35. ^ Crimmins, Peter (August 28, 2018). "Philadelphia names youth poet laureate". WHYY. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
36. ^ "Philadelphia Poet Laureate". Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
37. ^ "Blog: Meet the 2019-2020 Youth Poet Laureate!". Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
38. ^ Graham, Kristen A. (7 October 2020). "A Girl Scout from the Northeast is Philly's new Youth Poet Laureate". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
39. ^ "Blog: Andre'a Rhoads Named the 2021-2022 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate". Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
40. ^ "Blog: Introducing the 2022–23 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate..." Free Library of Philadelphia. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
41. ^ Graham, Kristen A. (2023-09-18). "Philly's new youth poet laureate says writing is her way to 'detox from everything.' Here is her story". Inquirer.com. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
42. ^ "'I'm gonna show us the way forward': Philly names Oyewumi Oyeniyi its new Youth Poet Laureate". WHYY. Retrieved 2023-09-19.

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Poets laureate of Philadelphia

* Sonia Sanchez (2012-2013)
* Frank Sherlock (2014-2015)
* Yolanda Wisher (2016-2017)
* Raquel Salas Rivera (2018-2019)
* Trapeta Mayson (2020-2021)
* Airea D. Matthews (2022-2023)

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