We're looking for Alameda County's next Youth Poet Laureate!
Will it Be You?
Applications Open April 1, 2026
Are you a teen who wants to speak your truth, make friends, and have fun? We’re looking for poets and spoken word artists from all over the county to show up and amplify youth voices.
Congratulations to the 2025 Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate and Vice-Laureate!
The winners of the 2025 Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate competition are Anika Mangla and Anjanae Lewis.
Anika, the 2025 Youth Poet Laureate, views poetry as a form of dialogue, protest, and healing, and a deeper sense of belonging within her community. Anika is publishing her first poetry book, Embers and Flame, this summer.
Anjanae is the 2025 Youth Poet Vice-Laureate, is a recent high school graduate preparing to start college in the fall. Her poetry is shaped by her community and a deep belief in the power of imagination to create change.
Special thanks to our 2025 Judges for their support of young Alameda County poets and for their commitment to lifting up youth voices.
Who is the Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate?
In summer 2026, Alameda County will select its 2026 Youth Poet Laureate. The Youth Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador to inspire civic engagement, social justice, cultural awareness, and literary excellence in our communities.
Applications for the Youth Poet Laureate program will be accepted from April 1 through April 30, 2026. All applications are due on April 30, 2026.
To be eligible for the competition you must:
- Be an Alameda County resident.
- Be between the ages of 13-18 as of May 1, 2026.
- Be available to serve as Laureate for the program year, August 7, 2026 to July 30, 2027.
- If you are selected as Laureate or Vice-Laureate, you must live locally during the laureate year, August 7, 2026 to July 30, 2027.
Poems will be judged on content, craft, and voice.
Those who advance to the interview round are also judged on performance and leadership potential.
Finalists will be announced at the end of August during an awards ceremony.
Thanks to the Alameda County Library Foundation for sponsoring the Alameda County Youth Poet Laureate program.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are applications accepted and due?
- Applications for the Youth Poet Laureate program will be accepted from April 1 through April 30, 2026.
- All applications are due on April 30, 2026.
What does the Youth Poet Laureate do?
- The Laureate and the finalists will be invited to perform at public events throughout the year, and beyond.
- The Laureate and Vice-Laureate will serve for one year, August 7, 2026 to July 30, 2027. They must live locally during this period.
- The Laureate and finalists will be asked to share their experiences, writing process, and values on online platforms.
- The Laureate and finalists will have the ability to develop a communitywide project to bring poetry to everyone.
- The Laureate will submit one poem that will be featured on the library website.
What does the Laureate title earn?
- A suite of Apple products, including a MacBook Pro.
- The Alameda County Library will support the Laureate and will field event requests.
- The current Laureate and any former Laureates between the ages of 13-19 can submit poetry for the Regional Youth Poet Laureate competition and the statewide California Youth Poet Laureate competition. There are four Regional Youth Poet Laureates, and one will be selected as the National Youth Poet Laureate.
What should be included in your application?
- Three original poems that showcase your content, craft, and voice. Submissions should be no more than 10 pages. Do not include your name in the document as the first round is anonymous.
- Name and contact information of an adult sponsor who is familiar with your writing, academic achievements, and community involvement. If you advance to the next round, your sponsor will be asked to write a letter of recommendation. Ask for this letter in advance so the letter will be submitted by May 31!
- Artist statement: Introduce yourself! Tell us who you are and what poetry means to you. Your statement should be 250 words maximum.
- Your biography: This should include any awards, community service, work experience, or activism.
- Name and contact information of your legal guardian unless you are 18 by May 1, 2026.
How does this work?
The first round of judging will be anonymous, based solely on the content, craft, and voice of your written poems. Learn more about the judging process. For questions about the Youth Poet Laureate program, please email: ypl@aclibrary.org.
2026 Youth Poet Laureate Applications
Applications are open!
Poetry to Inspire
Find poetry that celebrates voice, empowers creative expression, and educates.
Meet the 2026 Judges
April Wakefield Spikener
April Wakefield Spikener is a Division Director with the Alameda County Probation Department and an accomplished poet. She is the author of Internal Monologue (2017), Butterfly (2019), and Human. (2022), and has been featured at Barnes & Noble, San José State University, and community organizations across California. She is a 2026 graduate of the Muses and Melanin Fellowship for BIPOC creative writers.
Natriece Spicer
Natriece is the founder and lead consultant at The Inspired Life and a spoken-word artist and author. She combines keen business acumen, creative writing, published books, and tailored programming to deliver wellness workshops and personal development courses for leaders, employees, and youth. When she’s not designing or managing programs to empower others, she enjoys being outdoors, listening to music, reading, crafting, and cooking.
Janine Mogannam
Janine Mogannam is a poet, literary curator, and social justice-guided librarian from San Francisco (Ramaytush Ohlone land). Her writing has been supported by Tin House, VONA, Kearny Street Workshop, and The Speakeasy Project. She has been published in a number of journals and anthologies, performed and taught with Still Here San Francisco, and curated work for the National Queer Arts Festival. She is honored to support and uplift young people standing in their power and expressing themselves through writing.
Aisha Knowles
Aisha Knowles is Trustee for Area 4 on the Alameda County Board of Education, where she has served for over a decade, including as Board President during the pandemic. Her work spans education, public safety, and community engagement, with a focus on accountable, community-centered systems. She is also a founding member and former Chair of the Hayward Reparative Justice Steering Committee.
A descendant of Russell City and producer of The Apology, Aisha brings lived experience and policy expertise to her work. She has more than 21 years in Alameda County public affairs, translating complex systems into clear, community-centered communication.
Benjamin Burke
Based in Oakland, CA, Benjamin Burke is a performance poet and a writer/designer for good causes. His current project, Shape of the Moon — with sound artist Bear Glass from Joshua Tree, CA — pairs his poetry with modular synthesizers and traditional instruments. Their first album, When the land is laid bare, will be released June 2026 on Marionette Records.
