Long Beach Public Library Announces 2026 Youth Poet Laureate Program

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PRESS RELEASE

The 2025-26 Long Beach Public Library Youth Poet Laureate cohort.
Above from left: Youth Poet Ambassador Adele Odette (she/her); Youth Poet Ambassador Maddox Harris (he/him); Youth Poet Laureate Ezequiel Correa (he/him); Youth Poet Ambassador Eden Gonzalez (she/her); and Youth Poet Ambassador Macuilquiahuitl Ixeh (he/him)

Long Beach, CA - The Long Beach Public Library (LBPL), in partnership with the Arts Council for Long Beach and supported by Urban Word NYC, has announced the launch of the 2026 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) Program. This annual program celebrates young writers and community leaders who use the power of poetry to inspire change and uplift their voices. Applications will open on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, for Long Beach residents ages 13 to 18.

"Poetry has the power to connect people and inspire understanding across generations and neighborhoods," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "Through the Youth Poet Laureate program, Long Beach continues to uplift youth voices and celebrate the power of art to bring our community closer together."

The 2026 YPL application period will be open from Nov. 15, 2025, through Feb. 28, 2026. Applicants are required to submit a completed YPL application, a curriculum vitae outlining their civic and social engagement, a 100-word biographical statement and a portfolio of five poems. Full application details and submission guidelines are available on the YPL webpage, including how to receive application assistance.

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of local poets and finalists will be notified via email in spring 2026. Finalists will then be invited to perform their work at a public celebration in May 2026, where the next Youth Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Ambassadors will be announced. The selected Youth Poet Laureate will receive a $1,500 scholarship, and each Poet Ambassador will receive a $500 scholarship in recognition of their achievements.

In addition to scholarships, YPL cohort members will receive mentorship from a local poet and access to a variety of resources to help them grow as artists and leaders. These resources include staff support, participation in creative writing workshops, and opportunities to collaborate with local organizations and the literary-arts community. By the conclusion of the program year in April 2027, YPL participants will have contributed to a citywide literary initiative, strengthened their artistic skills, and developed meaningful partnerships with community leaders and organizations across Long Beach. The program continues to highlight the City's commitment to fostering creativity, literacy and civic engagement among local youth.

"The Youth Poet Laureate program empowers young people to use their creativity as a force for change," said Department of Library, Arts, and Culture Director Cathy De Leon. "It's inspiring to see how each participant transforms their personal experiences into art that strengthens community connection and civic pride."

The National Youth Poet Laureate program began in New York in 2008 and has since expanded to more than 70 cities across the United States. Long Beach joined this growing network in 2023. Earlier this year, Ezequiel Correa, a senior at Ernest McBride High School, was named the 2025 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate at the annual Finals event on May 17. He joined Youth Poet Ambassadors Eden Gonzalez, Maddox Harris, Macuilquiahuitl Ixeh, and Adele Odette, under the mentorship of local poet Nancy Woo. Together, they will continue to represent Long Beach through workshops, poetry readings and community events through the end of the program year in spring 2026.

For more information, visit the Long Beach Public Library's Youth Poet Laureate Program webpage or call 562.570.7500.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. For more information about the Long Beach Public Library visit https://www.lbpl.org and follow @lbcitylibrary on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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