2025 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate Finals Ceremony

Please join the Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate program on Saturday, May 17, from 2-4 pm at Michelle Obama Library Neighborhood Library (5870 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90805) in celebrating the debut of our finalists and welcoming in our new 2025-26 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate & Youth Poet Ambassadors.

We will hear the 10 youth poet finalists read their work on the mic, as well as outgoing Youth Poet Laureate Helena Donato-Sapp.

This year’s finalists are:

• Ezequiel Correa, 17.
• Liam “Lee” Balmeo, 15.
• Jornay Chim, 16.
• Maddox Harris, 17.
• Eden Gonzalez, 13.
• Adele Odetta,  15.
• Macuilquiahuitl Ixeh, 17.
• Ajala Sen, 16.
• Ruby Giles, 16.
• Shawna Brief, 17.

For a full list of finalists and their bios, please see the press release here: https://www.longbeach.gov/press-releases/long-beach-youth-poets-take-the-stage-2025-youth-poet-laureate-finals-set-for-may-17/

This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited, so please RSVP.

Sponsored by the Long Beach Public Library and the City of Long Beach, in partnership with Urban Word NYC, Long Beach Forward, and the Arts Council for Long Beach.

Please direct any questions to LS-YPL@longbeach.gov. Thanks for registering, see you there!