UTICA — The Utica-Oneida County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People announced its continued collaboration with the City of Utica to select Oneida County’s Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate for 2023-2024.

The goal of the NAACP Utica-Oneida County 2023-2024 Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate initiative is to highlight the creativity, talent, and diverse experiences of Oneida County community members.

As local communities continue to struggle personally and professionally with educational, economic, racial, and social justice challenges, many residents are expressing through poetry and spoken word the changes and transformations that result from the challenges they face.

Initially inspired by the vision shared by Amanda Gorman, the nation’s first Youth Poet Laureate, Oneida County’s 2022 Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate spoke to struggle, hope, and resilience, inspiring us all to consider how we persist and where we find hope in the most difficult of times.

This year, the NAACP invites all to submit original poems on a related theme of “making cents: positive change inside and out,” reflecting how we respond to the changes we experience, how those changes transform us, and the ways in which we are part of creating change.

One candidate will be selected to serve as the NAACP Utica-Oneida County Poet Laureate, and a second candidate will serve as the Youth Poet Laureate from May of 2023 through May of 2024.

The Youth Poet Laureate role is intended for those aged 13-18, and the Poet Laureate is open to residents ages 19 or older. Candidates should meet the age criteria as well as be residents of Oneida County or attend an academic institution in Oneida County. Winners and honorable mentions will be recognized at an award ceremony on Sunday, April 23, 2023.

The Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate will receive a range of prizes and engage with community members through performing at community events and connecting with high schools and colleges throughout the summer and the following year. Sponsors include the City of Utica and the Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute.

Tinashe Manguwa, selected as Poet Laureate in 2022, reflected on what this role has meant to him. “Before becoming poet laureate, writing was often a solitary craft, and I wanted to shield my words from the critique of others. This role has shown me the power of poetry when it is shared and given to others. I have been fortunate to interact with others who share my passions and witnessed firsthand how the arts can bring people together.”

“The Utica-Oneida County Branch of the NAACP’s Poet Laureate initiative continues the NAACP’s long tradition of empowering the marginalized to make room for themselves in society,” said Freddie Hamilton, resident of the Utica-Oneida County NAACP chapter. “Nothing is more empowering than the opportunity to speak our truth and to be heard. Nothing is more sacred than the integrity of our own minds, and the poets among us help us to understand the many ways that our souls experience, understand and express life. We are the ones that we’ve been waiting for.”

The deadline to submit an application and relevant work is Monday, March 6.

For more information, guidelines, and how to apply, visit https://tinyurl.com/poetlaureateguidelines2023.