2024 Hawaiʻi Youth Poet Laureate returns to Maui to select its next winner on Thursday

The Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC) has announced that Hawai‘i’s fourth youth poet laureate presentations and selection of the state’s 2024 Youth Poet Laureate will be presented before a live, invitation-only student audience in Castle Theater on Thursday, April 4 at 10 a.m.

Those seeking to tune in to the event can livestream it on the MauiArt.org homepage, MACC’s Facebook or Youtube page at the time of the event.

The event will include performances by five youth poet finalists from throughout Hawai‘i and appearances and performances by several special guests. It culminates in the announcement of the young poet selected to be this year’s youth poet laureate.

Founded in 2008 by Urban Word, the National Youth Poet Laureate Program identifies and celebrates young poets who exhibit a commitment to artistic excellence, civic engagement, youth leadership and social justice.

This year, MACC’s Education Department has been working with teachers and students statewide to encourage and prepare them for this opportunity. Finalist participants in the program range in age from 10 to 19. 

Special guests for the event, offering performances and some mentoring messages to the finalists, are:

• Corina Yi, Hawai‘i’s third Youth Poet Laureate
• Brandy Nālani McDougall, Hawai‘i’s State Poet Laureate
• Selina Tusitala Marsh, New Zealand’s Adult Poet Laureate

Emcees of the event are Travis Kaululā‘au Thompson, a nationally ranked slam poet, spoken word artist, educator, and professional teaching artist for the MACC, and Hawai‘i’s second Youth Poet Laureate Kalehua Fung.