National Youth Poet Laureate program

Celebrating Youth at Intersection of Artistic Excellence & Civic Engagement.

FOUNDED BY

2024 NATIONAL YOUTH POET LAUREATE

Stephanie Pacheco


"Whew! I grew tired reading about the work of this justice warrior. She is indeed an “artivist” with a passion for justice and creating space for those we regularly leave out and dismiss in our society. The work is bold and authentic." –Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings

Stephanie Pacheco winner of the 2024 National Youth Poet Laureate (NYPL) competition––and the second NYPL winner from New York––will serve as the United States youth literary and civic ambassador. 


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Our Program

  • The National Youth Poet Laureate program works with local youth literary arts organizations across the united states to identify and celebrate exceptional youth poets who use their voice to inspire change.

  • Our program model supports local literary partners in launching their local youth poet laureate program, elevating these young poet-activists, and creating opportunities and resources to expand and elevate platforms for these youth poet laureates.

  • This program is supported by the Academy of American Poets, Poetry Society of America, the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Parks Service, Cave Canem, and many more.

  • Amanda Gorman

    Congratulations to our inaugural Youth Poet Laureate (2017) Amanda Gorman for her performance at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration.

    Watch her performance at the inauguration below.

Launch a local or statewide program

become a partner


 our sponsors