Youth Poetry Fellowship
Honoring young writers committed to civic and community engagement.
Janae Lu is the 2024-25 Seattle Youth Poet Laureate
Youth Poetry Fellowship
Catalina Videla
Youth Poetry Fellow
Adisa Grant
Youth Poetry Fellow
Linus Elkins
Youth Poetry Fellow
Eka Bhuyan
Youth Poetry Fellow
Alexa Rand
Youth Poetry Fellow
Rediet Giday
Youth Poetry Fellow
Janae Lu
Seattle Youth Poet Laureate
Nadia Najam
Youth Poetry Fellow
Agustina Campaz
Youth Poetry Fellow
Charlotte Soliven
Youth Poetry Fellow
Aamina Mughal
Youth Poetry Fellow
Mateo Acuña
Seattle Youth Poet Laureate
Sarah Guo
Youth Poetry Fellow
Charlotte Soliven
Youth Poetry Fellow
Landen Scott
Youth Poetry Fellow
Qes McCord
Youth Poetry Fellow
Laura Garcia
Youth Poetry Fellow
Janae Lu
Seattle Youth Poet Laureate
Fatra Hussein
Youth Poetry Fellow
Linus Elkins
Youth Poetry Fellow
Nanya Jhingran
Mentor
Jourdan Imani Keith
Mentor
Sah Pham
2022/23 Youth Poet Laureate
Bayla Cohen-Knott
2022/23 YPL Publishing Leader
Rowan Saunders
2022/23 YPL Events Leader
Aamina Mughal
2022/23 YPL Cohort
Abby Skeel
2022/23 YPL Cohort
Adhya Kona
22/23 YPL Cohort
Diane Sun
2022/23 YPL Cohort
Caden LaMar
2022/23 YPL Cohort
Keegan York
2022/23 YPL Cohort
Kiana Gladney
2022/23 YPL Cohort
Kyle Gerstel
2022/23 YPL Cohort
Natasha Last-Bernal
2022/23 YPL Cohort
Arianne True
Youth Poet Laureate Mentor
Sasha LaPointe
Youth Poet Laureate Mentor
Zinnia Hansen
2021/22 Youth Poet Laureate
Sejal Akerkar
2021/22 YPL Cohort Leadership Ambassador
Bayla Cohen-Knott
2021/22 YPL Cohort
Ricardo Gurango
2021/22 YPL Cohort
Ayana Islas
2021/22 YPL Cohort
Henry Morgan
2021/22 YPL Cohort
Avni Rao
2021/22 YPL Cohort
Margot Ratchman
2021/22 YPL Cohort
Talulla Shaughnessy
2021/22 YPL Cohort
Zora Sowinska
2021/22 YPL Cohort
Arianne True
Youth Poet Laureate Mentor
Laura Da’
WITS Writer
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
Arianne True
Youth Poet Laureate Mentor
Laura Da’
WITS Writer
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
Aaron Counts
Co-founder of Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Program
Matt Gano
Renaissance School of Art & Reasoning
Ways to Get Involved
For Students
Applications for the 2025/26 Youth Poetry Fellowship are open April 1st-April 30th. Apply here.
The Youth Poetry Fellowship offers:
The Youth Poetry Fellowship is a FREE poetry program for youth (ages 14-19) led by mentors Amy Hirayama & Jourdan I. Keith. Fellows attend meetings that focus on generative writing and community building. Mentors facilitate discussions on contemporary poetry, writing techniques, and offer inspiring prompts. All meetings and readings will take place at Hugo House. Located at 1634 11th Ave, Hugo House is a short walk from the Capitol Hill light rail station and the First Hill streetcar (Broadway & Pike-Pine stop), and within a half-mile of many buses, including routes 2, 8, 10, 11, 12, 43, 49, and 60.
Participation in the fellowship also includes seasonal reading opportunities, free access to all Seattle Arts & Lectures events, and the chance to read on SAL stages as an opening reader for visiting writers.
Meetings 12-2pm:
- Saturday, September 27th
- Saturday, October 11th
- Saturday, October 25th
- Saturday, November 8th
- Saturday, November 22nd
- Saturday, December 6th
Readings 7-8pm:
- Friday, December 12th
- Tuesday, June 23rd
Fellows are expected to attend all meetings and readings, to ensure that the cohort builds and grows together. If a fellow misses more than one meeting, SAL staff will reach out to you to discuss your ability to participate in the program.
Youth Poet Laureate
One fellow will be selected to serve as the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate (YPL). The YPL will publish a poetry chapbook through Poetry NW Editions, and will be eligible to compete in the Regional Poet Laureate competition. Finalists from the Regional Poet Laureate competition are eligible to compete in the National Youth Poet Laureate competition, a program of Urban Word. The YPL will also receive a $500 stipend, additional public reading opportunities, and will serve as a youth voice to the broader literary community.
All applicants to the Fellowship can opt-in to be considered for the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate position, but it is not a requirement.
For Teachers
Applications for the 2025/26 Youth Poetry Fellowship are open April 1st – April 30th.
Know a poet or leader who you think would be a fantastic fit for the Youth Poetry Fellowship and/or the title of Seattle Youth Poet Laureate? Encourage them to apply.
For Community Members
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.
Books
Dear Spanish by Mateo Acuña
$14
The ninth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.
Spikenard by Zinnia Hansen
$14
The seventh collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.
Motherland by Bitaniya Giday
$14
The sixth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series
In the Footsteps of a Thousand Griefs by Wei-Wei Lee
$14
The fifth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.
Stepwell by Azura Tyabji
$14
The fourth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.
Sasha LaPointe Presents: Razelle Benally, Tania Larsson & Migizi Pensoneau at Town Hall Seattle in Seattle, Washington, on Monday, January 23, 2023.
All Rights Reserved
Program Sponsors
Generous support for the Youth Poetry Fellowship is provided by
