Youth Poet Laureate
Washington, D.C. ● Northern Virginia ● Montgomery County, Maryland
Regional Youth Poet Laureate
The Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) program is a prestigious leadership opportunity for young poets, emcees and creative writers ages 13–19 from Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland. Designed to amplify youth voices through poetry and performance, the program supports emerging writers who are passionate about storytelling, community engagement and social change.
As a DMV Youth Poet Laureate, participants develop their craft, gain professional skills, explore pathways to creative income and represent their region through performances, civic engagement and public events. YPLs join a national lineage of artists and advocates, including trailblazers like Amanda Gorman and Kashvi Ramani, whose work demonstrates the power of youth expression in shaping culture and conversation.
The DMV Youth Poet Laureate program is presented by Words Beats & Life Inc. in partnership with Urban Word, and is part of a nationwide movement uplifting young voices through poetry, performance and leadership.
Maryland State Youth Poet Laureate
The Maryland State Youth Poet Laureate program recognizes exceptional young poets ages 13–19 who live in Maryland and demonstrate artistic excellence, youth leadership, civic engagement and social impact.
Selected poets serve as cultural ambassadors for the state, using poetry and performance to inspire dialogue, creative expression and positive change in communities across Maryland.
Maryland State YPL Applications
Applications for the Maryland State Youth Poet Laureate are open February 1–28, 2026, for eligible Maryland residents ages 13–19.
Learn about our Youth Poet Laureate Program
Curious, what it takes to become a Regional Youth Poet Laureate in D.C., Maryland or Northern Virginia, and what the perks of being a YPL are? Download our free informational brochure to learn more.
“Being the previous Youth Poet Laureate of Arlington and inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of Virginia has been the most rewarding experience. I have received the opportunity to work with a diverse network of individuals who are fellow YPL’s, partnering with them to create events for the community at-large. Additionally, I have performed at venues across Virginia and D.C., judged poetry competitions, and featured in several readings. While learning from my YPL peers and the incredible WBL team was very rewarding, the most valuable experience was definitely launching my own poetry chapbook. In its creation I was forced to conquer my fears about my identity and instill truth and sincerity in every page - an endeavor that has benefitted me even a year later. ”
Meet the Youth Poet Laureates
Explore poet bios below and get to know the 2016 through 2026 YPL’s of Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and Montgomery County, Maryland.
2026
Kayla Nelson
2026 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
Sosena Audain
2026 Montgomery County, Maryland
Youth Poet Laureate
Krisha Dotiwalla
2026 Northern Virginia
Youth Poet Laureate
2025
Neha Kumar
2025 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
Lily Scheckner
2025 Montgomery County, Maryland Youth Poet Laureate
2024
Isaac Yebio
2024 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
Tara Prakash
2024 Montgomery County, Maryland
Youth Poet Laureate
Mia Dimina
2024 Arlington County, Virginia
Youth Poet Laureate
2023
Sophia Hall
2023 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
Allison Xu
2023 Montgomery County, Maryland
Youth Poet Laureate
Ribka Desta
2023 Arlington County, Virginia
Youth Poet Laureate
2022
Sarina Patel
2022 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
Kashvi Ramani
2022 Arlington County, Virginia
Youth Poet Laureate
Elana Ernst
2022 Montgomery County, Maryland
Youth Poet Laureate
2021
Amiri Nash
2021 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
Sasa Aakil
2021 Montgomery County, Maryland
Youth Poet Laureate
Amasa Maleski
2021 Arlington County, Virginia
Youth Poet Laureate
2020
Marjan Naderi
2020 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
2019
Gabriela Orozco
2019 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
2018
Aniyah Smith
2018 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
2017
Kenny Carroll
2017 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
2016
Malachi Byrd
2016 Washington, D.C.
Youth Poet Laureate
The Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) Program is a joint program of Urban Word NYC and Words Beats & Life Inc., with support from local government & partnering organizations, which aims to identify young writers and leaders who are committed to civic and community engagement, artistic excellence, human relations, youth activism, diversity and education across the region.