April is National Poetry Month
LOS ANGELES – Mayor Karen Bass today announced Brian Sonia-Wallace as Los Angeles’ Poet Laureate, marking a new chapter in one of the City’s most distinguished literary programs. A nationally-recognized poet, Sonia-Wallace is known for composing spontaneous poems on his 1938 Remington typewriter, transforming everyday spaces into sites of creativity and connection. This announcement marks the 30th annual celebration of National Poetry Month. Watch the announcement here.
“Poetry belongs to every Angeleno, and Brian Sonia-Wallace has a remarkable gift for bringing people together through its power,” said Mayor Bass. “I am proud to name him our next Poet Laureate and look forward to the inspiration and connection he will foster across the many communities that make up our great city.”
“My guiding vision is simple: a Poetry City, where every neighborhood has access to poetry as connective tissue,” said Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace. “L.A. is full of poets! Why shouldn’t every coffee shop and bookstore have a poet-in-residence? There’s the possibility in this role to create a blueprint for that enduring ecosystem.”
Selected through a competitive, citywide process, Sonia-Wallace will serve a one-year term as a cultural ambassador for Los Angeles, helping to elevate poetry, expand access to the arts, and engage communities through public programming.
The City of Los Angeles Poet Laureate program, established in 2012 as a collaboration between the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) and the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), aims to inspire civic dialogue and celebrate the city’s cultural richness through
written and spoken word. Since its inception, the Los Angeles Poet Laureate program has honored some of the nation’s most esteemed literary voices, including Eloise Klein Healy, Luis J. Rodriguez, Robin Coste Lewis, and Lynne Thompson.
“The Poet Laureate plays a vital role in connecting Angelenos to literature and to one another,” said City Librarian John F. Szabo. “We’re thrilled to welcome Brian Sonia-Wallace, whose innovative approach to poetry meets people where they are and invites them into the creative process.”
“Brian Sonia-Wallace is an acclaimed poet and cultural worker who has an inspiring ability to bring poetry into the public square,” said Daniel Tarica, Department of Cultural Affairs General Manager. “Sonia- Wallace’s work connects us through our shared humanity, and with his commitment to intercultural exchange, environmental and social justice, and LGBTQ+ rights, Sonia-Wallace will bring a voice and vision to Angelenos that connects communities through a shared love of poetry. With Los Angeles’ next Poet Laureate in place, we look forward to celebrating the City’s rich history of poetry together.”