Youth Poet Laureate

Honoring young writers committed to civic and community engagement.

The 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate Release

Join us for a moment of celebration, contemplation, and healing found in the brave voices of the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate program. This video gallery celebrates the achievement of 2019/20 Seattle Youth Poet Laureate, Wei-Wei Lee, and the public release of her first poetry collection, In the Footsteps of a Thousand Griefs (Poetry NW Editions).

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“Poetry Resonates”⁠—An Interview with Youth Poet Laureate Wei-Wei Lee

Wei-Wei Lee, our 2019/20 Youth Poet Laureate, is a poet whose work pays tribute to both Taiwan and America in her writing. This summer, we sat down virtually with Wei-Wei to ask her about everything from coping with writer’s anxiety, to how place informs her creative practice, to the advice she would give youth writing […]

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"I hope we grow tender enough, again."

Azura Tyabji, Seattle’s 2018/19 YPL, captures Seattle’s growing pains on KUOW.

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Watch the PBS NewsHour presentation on Washington State Poet Laureate, Claudia Castro Luna’s “Poetic Grid” Project, including a video performance from 2017/18 YPL Lily Baumgart.

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The Seattle Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) program aims to identify youth writers and leaders committed to poetry, performance, civic and community engagement, education, and equity across the Puget Sound region.

Youth Poet Laureates have numerous opportunities and platforms to share their powerful voices, their leadership, and love of Seattle at regional events throughout the course of the year. They also publish a poetry collection, released in May by Poetry NW Editions, when the next Youth Poet Laureate of the following year is announced.

All students selected as finalists will also be invited to be part of a year-long cohort of poets working together in workshops, on collaborative print projects, and at public readings, such as Lit Crawl.

The collections of former Youth Poet Laureates are available through Penmanship Books, and Azura Mizan Tyabji’s collection, Stepwell, is available here.

Beauty is a tongue you will learn to speak.

— “For Black Boys,” by 2015/16 Youth Poet Laureate Leija Farr

It’s a strange thing to know that you’re loved. A foreign concept, but these, surely, are foreign lands.

— Wei-Wei Lee, 2019/20 Youth Poet Laureate

To be granted this position this year has given me a louder voice, but it has also made people take me and my writing legitimately.

— Lily Baumgart, 2017/18 Youth Poet Laureate

Azura Tyabji is an emerging poet, prose writer and justice seeker cuspinig new genres and bending Documentary style poetry. A modern day apostle of unrepentant certitude . . . May all the established poets hold [this] new work, by [this] new author closely.

— Anastacia-Renee, Seattle Civic Poet, Author of (v.), Forget it, and Answer (Me)

Ways to Get Involved

Submissions for the 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate program are now closed. Download the previous year’s submission guidelines here.

The Seattle Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) program aims to identify young writers and leaders who are committed to poetry, performance, civic and community engagement, education, and equity across the Puget Sound Region.

A group of esteemed judges chooses eight finalists from the application pool, and selects one teen to be honored with the title of Youth Poet Laureate and a runner-up Youth Poet Ambassador at the annual Commencement Performance.

Along with the prestigious title of Seattle Youth Poet Laureate, the winning poet will also get a book deal from local publisher Poetry NW Editions to publish their first collection of poems. And, at events throughout the region over the course of the next year, the Seattle Youth  Poet Laureate will have numerous opportunities and platforms to share their powerful  voice, leadership, and love for the city.

Submissions for the 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate program are now closed. Download the previous year’s submission guidelines here.

Know a star poet, rapper, or leader who you think would be a fantastic fit for the title of Seattle Youth Poet Laureate? Encourage them to apply next year!

Interested in inviting the current Youth Poet Laureate to speak at your event? Fill out this Speaker Request Form, and email wits@lectures.org to be connected.

To connect with current or past Youth Poet Laureates on other matters, email wits@lectures.org.

Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Leaders

Bitaniya Giday

2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate

Helena Goos

2020/21 Youth Poet Cohort Leadership & Coordination Ambassador

Nathalie M.

2020/21 Youth Poet Public Outreach & Exposure Ambassador

Victor Xia

2020/21 Youth Poet Digital Engagement Ambassador

Wei-Wei Lee

2019/20 Youth Poet Laureate

Maia Pody

2019/20 Youth Poet Ambassador

Azura Mizan Tyabji

2018/19 Youth Poet Laureate

Emrys Foster

2018/19 & 2016/17 Youth Poet Ambassador

Hiroshi Sakauye

2018/19 Youth Poet Ambassador

Lily Baumgart

2017/18 Youth Poet Laureate

Namaka Auwae-Dekker

2017/18 Youth Poet Ambassador

Maven Gardner

2016/17 Youth Poet Laureate

Emrys Foster

2018/19 & 2016/17 Youth Poet Ambassador

Joseph Hairston

2016/17 Youth Poet Ambassador

Leija Farr

2015/16 Youth Poet Laureate

Laura Da’

WITS Writer, Youth Poet Laureate Mentor

Arianne True

Hamilton International Middle School, Licton Springs K-8 School, Nathan Hale High School, Seattle World School, Youth Poet Laureate Mentor

Aaron Counts

Co-founder of Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Program

Matt Gano

Renaissance School of Art & Reasoning, co-founder of Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Program

The 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate

"Hyphenated Identity Crisis," by Bitaniya Giday

Bitaniya Giday, the 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate, reads the original piece “Hyphenated Identity Crisis.”

The 2020/21 Seattle Youth Poet Ambassadors

"And They Do," by Helena Goos

Helena Goos, the 2020/21 Seattle Youth Poet Cohort Leadership & Coordination Ambassador, reads the original piece “And They Do.”

"This Reminds Me Of," by Nathalie M.

Nathalie M., the 2020/21 Seattle Youth Poet Public Outreach & Exposure Ambassador, reads the original piece “This Reminds Me Of.”

"What We Will," by Victor Xia

Victor Xia, the 2020/21 Seattle Youth Poet Digital Engagement Ambassador, reads the original piece “What We Will.”

The 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate Cohort Members

"Daisy Matrix," by Sylvester Gross

Sylvester Gross, 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate Cohort Member reads the original piece “Daisy Matrix.”

"Words," by Maeve Kenney

Maeve Kenney, 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate Cohort Member, reads the original piece “Words.”

"She's the Man," by Violet Keteyian

Violet Keteyian, 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate Cohort Member, reads the original piece “She’s the Man.”

"A Letter to Her," by Clarissa Perez

Clarissa Perez, 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate Cohort Member, reads the original piece “A Letter to Her.”

"Free," by Lucia Santos

Lucia Santos, 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate Cohort Member, reads the original piece “Free.”

"Geese," by Hazel Windstorm

Hazel Windstorm, 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate Cohort Member, reads the original piece “Geese.”

Photo Gallery

Marina Chen, of the 2019/20 YPL Cohort, opens SAL’s event with Carmen Maria Machado by reading an original poem.

Wei-Wei Lee, 2019/20 Youth Poet Laureate, practices on stage before SAL’s event with Amor Towles.

2019/20 YPL cohort member Zoë Mertz reads through her poem backstage at Hugo House before opening for Paisley Rekdal’s poetry reading.

The 2019/20 Youth Poet Laureate cohort.

The 2019/20 Youth Poet Laureate Commencement.

The 2018/19 Youth Poet Laureate cohort.

The 2018/19 Youth Poet Laureate cohort members prepare for their performances before the YPL Commencement at Folklife on May 26, 2018.

All former Seattle Youth Poet Laureates at the YPL Commencement at Folklife on May 26, 2018.

2016/17 Youth Poet Laureate Maven Gardner & YPL Co-Founder Aaron Counts, with copies of Maven’s book, Blood Melody.

2018/19 Youth Poet Laureate, Lily Baumgart, opens Mary Ruefle’s reading with a performance of “Dissection of a Western Kingbird.”

2016/17 Youth Poet Laureate Maven Gardner opens SAL’s 2017/18 SAL Presents event with Ta-Nehisi Coates.

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