NYC Youth Poet Laureate

NYC Youth Poet Laureate Program

Are you a young poet between the ages of 15-19?

Are you interested in finding new ways to be a leader in your community?

The New York City Youth Poet Laureate Program, founded by Urban Word NYC, aims to identify young writers and leaders committed to creating change through civic engagement and poetic excellence.

Every fall, 10 finalists are selected from the pool of applicants to join in a 4-week PAID fellowship workshop series. Fellows will grow as writers and performers, in preparation for a commencement event where the next NYC Youth Poet Laureate will be crowned. Along with the official title, the NYC Youth Poet Laureate gets both high-level performance and publication opportunities and the opportunity to compete to be the Regional and National Youth Poet Laureate!

See the bottom of the page for application requirements.

Apply using the link below!

THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THE 2024 NYC YOUTH POET LAUREATE FELLOWSHIP IS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 AT 11:59PM.

Meet the 2024 NYC Youth Poet Laureate:

Fatima Ahmad

Brooklyn-based writer, activist, and filmmaker, FATIMA AHMAD, proudly represents her hometown as the 2023-2024 New York City Youth Poet Laureate. She has performed at notable venues throughout NYC including The United Nations, Federal Hall, and The Schomburg Center, in addition to featuring at The White House Youth Summit 2024, and designer Phillip Lim’s “FW24 Intersections” event. She is also the host of the podcast Chai Shaye. Through her collaborations with arts organizations, cultural institutions, and schools, as the president of 3 student clubs, Fatima has served as a voice for young women of South Asian descent, challenging the narratives of what it means to be a Muslim woman in the West.

For Booking & Media Requests, email info@urbanwordnyc.org

How Do I Qualify?

You must be between 15 –19 years old and a current resident of New York City.

Guidelines:

Your complete entry must include:

1.

A Short Bio:
Your bio should tell us a bit about who you are, your personal background, community work (i.e. volunteer work, activism, etc), and artistic & academic accomplishments.
(For tips & an example, see our Crafting Your Bio guide)

2.

Personal Statement:
A written or video response to the Personal Statement prompt, which can be found in the application.

3.

Work Samples:
One document containing 1-2 original poems, as well as one video of you performing/reciting 1 poem. Additional instructions can be found in the application.

The NYC Youth Poet Laureate will serve a one (1) year term, make special appearances throughout NYC, and will receive support in applying to be the Regional, State, and the National Youth Poet Laureate.