Youth Poetry Fellowship

Honoring young writers committed to civic and community engagement.

Ahsenti Alfedil is the 2025/26 Seattle Youth Poet Laureate!

Youth Poetry Fellowship

You of all people know best that everything in life is a transaction. If I gave you what I know of Quechua, would you give me the same words in Spanish?

— "Dear Spanish," by 2023/24 Youth Poet Laureate Mateo Acuña

and we, in bated breath, asked
if there is such a thing as empty, spaceless time

— “LOVELIKE,” by 2022/23 Youth Poet Laureate Sah Pham

To travel is to be a passenger whose
memory faithfully carried your legacy to shore.

— Youth Poetry Fellow 21/22

I know there is a heart
beating, beyond the blue sky.

— "Spikenard," 2021/22 Youth Poet Laureate, Zinnia Hansen

Ways to Get Involved

For Students

Applications for the 2025/26 Youth Poetry Fellowship are now closed and will reopen tentatively in early Spring 2026.

For Teachers

Applications for the 2025/26 Youth Poetry Fellowship are closed.

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 when our applications reopen in early Spring 2026.

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

In All Spaces Liminal by Janae Lu

$16.95
The tenth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series

Purchase

Dear Spanish by Mateo Acuña

$14
The ninth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.

Purchase

Lovelike by Sah Pham

$14
The eighth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.

Purchase

Spikenard by Zinnia Hansen

$14
The seventh collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.

Purchase

Motherland by Bitaniya Giday

$14
The sixth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series

Purchase

In the Footsteps of a Thousand Griefs by Wei-Wei Lee

$14
The fifth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.

Purchase

Stepwell by Azura Tyabji

$14
The fourth collection in the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate Series.

Purchase

Sasha LaPointe Presents: Razelle Benally, Tania Larsson & Migizi Pensoneau at Town Hall Seattle in Seattle, Washington, on Monday, January 23, 2023.

All Rights Reserved

Janae Lu's Chapbook Launch

Program Sponsors

Generous support for the Youth Poetry Fellowship is provided by
City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture