Washington State Poet Laureate: Passing of the Laurel

1911 Pacific Avenue,Tacoma WA 98402

04 May, 2023

Description

Join us on May 4 in Tacoma as we welcome the new Washington State Poet Laureate. Current Laureate Rena Priest will "pass the laurel" to the new Laureate. Poets from around the state will share poems that speak to our shared places and culture. The Washington State Poet Laureate program is jointly sponsored by the Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) and Humanities Washington. Click HERE for details about parking at the venue. Current Washington State Poet Laureate: Rena Priest Outgoing laureate Rena Priest is a member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation. She was the first Indigenous poet to be the state’s Poet Laureate. Her literary debut, Patriarchy Blues, was honored with the 2018 American Book Award. Her most recent work is Sublime Subliminal. She has taught Comparative Cultural Studies and Contemporary American Issues at Western Washington University and Native American Literature at Northwest Indian College. She lives in Bellingham, Washington. Rena Priest focused on two primary goals during her term: celebrating poetry in Washington’s tribal communities and using poetry to increase appreciation of the natural world—and the threats facing it. Incoming Washington State Poet Laureate: to be announced in April Learn more about this program at https://www.arts.wa.gov/washington-state-poet-laureate/.