This is a guest post by Alyssa Gaines, the 2022 National Youth Poet Laureate.
The U.S. Poet Laureate, selected by the Librarian of Congress, works to “raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry.” It is the only poet laureateship run by the Library of Congress. There are many other poets laureate programs all across the country, such as state, city and county laureates, all administered by nonprofits, local governments, art councils, or public libraries. There are equivalent youth poets laureate across the nation as well, and the institutions that run them provide opportunities for young people to find empowerment through art as well as civic engagement.
The Youth Poet Laureate is not run by the Library of Congress, but is sponsored by Urban Word, a 501(c)(3) organization. The below guest post is written by Alyssa Gaines, the 2022 National Youth Poet Laureate. The Library of Congress U.S. Poet Laureate inspired the creation of these many other positions, and it is a joy to see this type of artistic position gain so much prominence and spread so much inspiration in all parts of the country.
One year ago, I was anxious about college, I was mourning my Mamall (my paternal grandmother), every piece of my future was up in the air, and I anxiously awaited it all to rain back down on me with a particular curious and childlike tenderness. One year ago, I had no idea what I would do or who I would become; I remember, between preparing for prom and graduation and college applications, telling my father that my future was like a scratch-off. There was something waiting for me just beyond a screen, and I didn’t know what. Looking back, I can say I really didn’t know what.
I have loved poetry since I was very young. Without any expectations or strategy, I performed spoken word, participated in slams, and learned various forms and written techniques through workshops and competitions because I not only loved poetry, but also all that it could do for myself and my community. I competed in my first poetry slam when I was in the third grade. In my sophomore year I was named the Inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate of the City of Indianapolis, a program of Voices Corp Indianapolis and Urban Word that is now following a statewide model. My junior year I fell in love with learning written technique and submitted various pieces that received citations from Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, all in an organic continuation of a practice I had always loved.
My senior year, I applied to be the Midwest Regional Youth Poet Laureate Ambassador after continuing to use poetry for civic engagement and advocacy work through COVID, and participating in virtual workshops that grew the community of youth poets around me. I was fortunate enough to wear this honor. I was surprised, I was nervous, I was blessed. I got a platform to continue doing what I loved with the confidence that I was supported at a high level to learn and make an impact among a network of other amazing young poets.
A year ago, I stood on that stage in the Kennedy Center, in D.C. with my other grandmother in the front row just as she had always been since my first slam in third grade. I performed the group poem that other youth poets and I had developed together. My mind raced from worrying about my graduation that weekend, to the young poets I recognized in the audience, to my family watching from home, but I released my nerves and performed a poem I loved alongside poets I loved and respected without the pressure of a score or slam.
A year ago, I was named the National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States, and I had no idea what that would mean. Before I moved in for my first semester at Harvard College, I was able to publish a poem in the Wall Street Journal, receive Congressional recognition, a city council special resolution, and a proclamation from the mayor. (I also got to ride in the Indy 500 parade– a massive feat for a girl like me who is Indianapolis down to the bone.) I knew I was in for an unbelievable year.
During my first semester, I performed in places I never thought poetry, let alone youth poetry, would take me. I gave a poem at the Bloomberg Earthshot Summit, the Young Presidents’ Organization’s Edge Conference. I was able to work with organizations that foster fine arts access and education opportunities for young people to grant them fine arts access and educational opportunities, organizations such as Strive Together and the 50 State