Long Beach Public Library Announces 2027 Youth Poet Laureate Program

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PRESS RELEASE

Above from left: The 2026-27 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate cohort; a cohort member participates in the Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate Finals Ceremony.

Long Beach, CA - The Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) is launching the 2027-28 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) program in partnership with the Arts Council for Long Beach, Long Beach Forward, Rancho Los Alamitos, and with support from Urban Word NYC. Each year, the program gives Long Beach youth an opportunity to use poetry, art, and civic engagement to express ideas, connect with the community, and inspire positive change. Applications open Saturday, Nov. 14, for Long Beach community members ages 13 to 18.

"When young people are encouraged to create, question, and imagine, they help all of us see our community in new ways," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "The Youth Poet Laureate program celebrates that creativity while giving our youth meaningful opportunities to participate in the civic and cultural life of Long Beach."

The National Youth Poet Laureate program began in New York in 2008 and has since expanded to more than 70 communities across the country. Long Beach joined the program in 2023. At the Youth Poet Laureate Finals Ceremony on May 16, 2026, Ajala Sen, a junior at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, was named Long Beach's fourth Youth Poet Laureate. Sen is joined by four Youth Poet Ambassadors - Ruby Giles, Cecelia Rogers, Annali Bojorquez and Kieran Lundy - under the mentorship of local poet Nancy Woo. Throughout the year, the cohort participated in poetry readings, workshops and other events throughout Long Beach.

"The Youth Poet Laureate program gives young people more than a stage for their poetry; it gives them an opportunity to explore who they are, what they value, and how they want to contribute to Long Beach," said Cathy De Leon, Director of Library, Arts, and Culture. "We are proud to provide a place where young writers can develop their craft while building relationships and finding new ways to engage with their community."

Applications for the 2027 Youth Poet Laureate program will be accepted from Nov. 14, 2026, through Feb. 28, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Applicants must submit a completed YPL application, a curriculum vitae highlighting their civic and social engagement experience, a 100-word biographical statement, and a portfolio of five poems. Complete application requirements, submission guidelines, and additional program information are available on the Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate webpage. Applicants who have questions or would like assistance preparing their application, curriculum vitae or poetry portfolio can email the to schedule a virtual office hour.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of local working poets, and finalists will be notified by email after judging is completed in spring 2027. Finalists will be invited to share their work at a culminating public event in May, where Long Beach's fifth Youth Poet Laureate and the new Poet Ambassadors will be announced. The selected Youth Poet Laureate will receive a $1,500 scholarship, while each of the four Poet Ambassadors will receive a $500 scholarship.

Beyond the scholarships, members of the YPL cohort will receive mentorship from a local poet as well as opportunities to develop their writing, leadership and community engagement skills. Participants will have access to LBPL facilities and staff expertise, take part in writing and craft workshops, receive feedback on their work, and collaborate with local community organizations and members of Long Beach's literary arts community.

Through the program year, which concludes in April 2028, the YPL cohort will contribute to a citywide literary initiative while developing meaningful connections with community organizations, artists and other partners throughout Long Beach. The program provides young people with a platform to share their voices, develop their creativity and help shape the future of their communities.

For more information about the Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate program, visit the Long Beach Public Library website 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 www.lbpl.org and follow @lbcitylibrary on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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