Aspiring youth poets and community leaders in Long Beach can harness their love for the written word into the annual Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate (LPL) Program.
This initiative is overseen by the Long Beach Public Library (LBPL) and the Arts Council for Long Beach, with support from Urban Word NYC. The application deadline for the 2026-27 LPL cohort, open to Long Beach youth ages 13 to 18, is Feb. 28, 2026.
“Poetry has the power to connect people and inspire understanding across generations and neighborhoods,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a public statement. “Through the Youth Poet Laureate program, Long Beach continues to uplift youth voices and celebrate the power of art to bring our community closer together.”
Those who apply must submit the following items:
- Completed YPL application
- Curriculum vitae outlining their civic and social engagement
- 100-word biographical statement
- Portfolio of five poems
A panel of local poets will review the received submissions. Finalists will be notified via email in the spring and invited to perform their work at a public celebration in May, where the next Youth Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Ambassadors will be announced.
17-year-old McBride high school student and Long Beach’s 2025 Youth Poet Laureate Ezequiel Correa poses with his favorite books at the Billie Jean King Main Library in Long Beach on Nov. 7, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) 
Senior McBride High School student and Long Beach’s 2025 Youth Poet Laureate Ezequiel Correa reads a book at the top floor of the Billie Jean King Main Library in Long Beach on Nov. 7, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) 
Long Beach’s 2025 Youth Poet Laureate Ezequiel Correa and his mother Martina Gallardo pose near a bookshelf at the Billie Jean King Main Library in Long Beach on Nov. 7, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) 
Long Beach’s 2025 Youth Poet Laureate Ezequiel Correa journals in the top floor of the Teen Lounge at the Billie Jean King Main Library on Nov. 7, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)
The chosen Youth Poet Laureate will be given a $1,500 scholarship and each Poet Ambassador will receive a $500 scholarship. YPL cohort members will also receive mentorship from a local poet as well as access to supportive art and community resources, such as staff support, participation in creative writing workshops and chances to collaborate with local organizations and the literary arts community.
Through the year-long program, which will end in April 2027, the participating youth will work to enhance their artistic skills, further a citywide literary initiative and forge lasting partnerships with local community leaders and organizations.
“The Youth Poet Laureate program empowers young people to use their creativity as a force for change,” said Department of Library, Arts and Culture Director Cathy De Leon in a public statement. “It’s inspiring to see how each participant transforms their personal experiences into art that strengthens community connection and civic pride.”
The National Youth Poet Laureate program started in New York in 2008 and has since spread to over 70 U.S. cities, with Long Beach beginning its own program in 2023.
In May, McBride High School senior Ezequiel Correa was named the 2025 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate, alongside Youth Poet Ambassadors Eden Gonzalez, Maddox Harris, Macuilquiahuitl Ixeh and Adele Odette. Under the mentorship of local poet Nancy Woo, the current cohort will continue to participate in workshops, poetry readings and community events through the end of the program year in spring 2026.
To learn more about becoming a Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate, including further application details and submission guidelines, visit the program’s webpage or call 562-570-7500.
