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Worcester Inaugurates New Poet Laureate on Tuesday

By Tom Marino | March 6, 2023
Last Updated: March 7, 2023

WORCESTER – The Worcester Cultural Development Division will host an inauguration ceremony for new Worcester Poet Laureate Oliver de la Paz at the Worcester Public Library on Tuesday, March 7, at 5:30 PM. Mayor Joe Petty will award de la Paz with a ceremonial medal during the event.

The medal, crafted by local metalsmith Pam Farren, commemorates the start of the new Poet Laureate’s three-year term.

The event will include readings by de la Paz, outgoing Worcester Poet Laureate Juan Matos, former Youth Poet Laureate Amina Mohammed (2020-2021), and current Youth Poet Laureate Adael Mejia.

The Worcester Public Library will also unveil a specially curated poetry display during the event.

De la Paz has authored several collections, including Names Above Houses (2001), Requiem for the Orchard (2010), and The Boy in the Labyrinth (2019). He also advocates for promoting literary excellence, community engagement, and education. He is currently chair of Kundiman, a nonprofit organization that uplifts Asian-American voices in poetry, and he is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the College of the Holy Cross.

The event is free and open to the public.

Visit the City of Worcester website for more information on the city’s poet laureate program.

 

Image courtesy of Worcester Public Library

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