Alyssa Gaines, 2022 winner of the annual National Youth Poet Laureate (NYPL) competition––and the first NYPL winner from Indianapolis––will head to Harvard University where she hopes to combine her love of poetry with her studies.
“I’m so excited to head to college,” said Alyssa, 18. “This year has been a whirlwind: having my poetry recognized nationally and then my admittance to Harvard––it’s more than I could have hoped for. I truly believe that life in Cambridge will only add to the experiences I can share through my writing. I look forward to continuing to serve my Hoosier home, Cambridge, and the nation more broadly until the end of my tenure in May 2023, when a new National Youth Poet Laureate will be named.”
A Park Tudor high school graduate, Alyssa first came to national prominence with her poems “Blue Dashers” and “Lagrimas Negras.” The former examines her family’s southern roots, the beautiful southern landscape, and its bruised history. The latter explores her Caribbean culture and how it colors her day-to-day life.
Alyssa earned the inaugural Indianapolis Youth Poet Laureate title in 2019. She was one of four finalists for the NYPL title this year. The finalists were chosen from more than 65 youth poet laureates from across the country. In May, Alyssa was named the winner. She shares this title with former inauguration performer and nationally recognized poet Amanda Gorman.
“We are thrilled to see Alyssa head to Harvard, and believe the campus will be richer with her contributions,” said Shanelle Gabriel, executive director of Urban Word. “The commitment and love with which she expresses her experiences are unique in this nation, not to mention for her age. We know that she will thrive in Cambridge.”
The National Youth Poet Laureate Program, an initiative of Urban Word, celebrates our nation’s top youth poets who show commitment to artistic excellence, civic engagement, and social impact.
Founded in New York City in 2008, the Youth Poet Laureate Program partners with local and national literary arts organizations to elevate youth voices at the forefront of social change.
Program partners and supporters include the Academy of American Poets, the Library of Congress, the Poetry Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Youth poet laureates have touched every media outlet and significant stage in the country, including at the White House and on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
To learn more about our work or to start a program in your region, please visit youthlaureate.org. For press bookings with Alyssa, email Safiya Simmons at [email protected].