New Poet Laureates Confirmed in New Zealand, Tacoma, Louisiana

Several regions have recently named new Poets Laureate to serve their communities through 2027, highlighting the ongoing importance of poetry in cultural and community engagement. Robert Sullivan, with roots in Ngāpuhi and Kāi Tahu as well as British and Irish ancestry, was named New Zealand's Poet Laureate, continuing a distinguished poetic career with several collections. In Tacoma, Mari Griffin, a multidisciplinary artist and community organizer known for founding local cultural events, was selected as Poet Laureate to foster the city's literary scene through workshops and events. Louisiana appointed Gina Ferrara, an English professor and poet whose work deeply reflects Louisiana's culture, as Poet Laureate; she plans to travel statewide to inspire poetry engagement. Wisconsin will feature Brenda Cárdenas, a professor emerita and award-winning poet, at a Laureate Writers’ Series event, emphasizing poetry’s role in resistance and cultural expression. These appointments underscore poetry's vital role in both preserving heritage and encouraging creative voices across diverse communities.