Youth Poet Laureate

Honoring young writers committed to civic and community engagement.

Meet Wei-Wei Lee!

As our new Youth Poet Laureate, Wei-Wei will represent youth writing, leadership, and civic and community engagement throughout the Puget Sound region this year.

Read Wei-Wei's Poetry

"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 who are 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 is announced.

The collections of former Youth Poet Laureates are available through Penmanship Books.

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)

She is a ferocious and talented 20-year-old writer. If you don’t buy her book, I will not be your friend.

— Jess Walter, on 2016/17 Youth Poet Laureate Maven Gardner

Ways to Get Involved

Submissions for the 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate will open next spring. View the previous year’s application here.

The Seattle Youth Poet Laureate 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. 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.

At events throughout the region over the course of the following year, the Seattle Youth  Poet Laureate will have numerous opportunities and platforms to share their powerful  voice, their leadership, and love for the city. 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.

Know a star poet, rapper, or leader who you think would be a fantastic fit for the title of 2019 Seattle Youth Poet Laureate? Submissions for the 2020/21 Youth Poet Laureate will open next spring. View the previous year’s application here.

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

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