Monday, October 02, 2023
BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Book Festival proudly presents a plethora of poetry programs, including once again welcoming the National Student Poets participating in just one of several poetry events that will take place at the State Library of Louisiana during the festival on Saturday, October 28, in downtown Baton Rouge.
This will be the first and only appearance of the Class of 2023 student poet winners together in the country this year, each representing one of the five national regions. As a result of a collaboration built on connections made by last year's Class of 2022 young poets and the international Narrative 4 organization at last year's festival, this year's students are excited to participate in the panel with former Louisiana Poets Laureate Darrell Bourque, founding member of N4, and Mona Lisa Saloy.
"We were thrilled to feature the National Student Poets last year when the program celebrated its 10th anniversary. We're excited to welcome the program back and to host this year's class," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "It's an honor to have a prestigious group like this come back to the Louisiana Book Festival. That speaks volumes about the quality of the festival."
Saloy will also moderate and share work from her new collection as she introduces her poet laureate successor Alison Pelegrin to the festival, an ongoing tradition and rite of passage. Pelegrin in her new role will host two panels in which she presents eleven Louisiana poets from across the state reading from their work.
Poet members of the Women's National Book Association of New Orleans will present "Supernatural Laundry – Louisianan Women Poets Engaged in Domestic Fabulism."
Back by popular demand, members of The Traveling Poetry Emporium team will create free personalized poems-to-order, composed on the spot using antique typewriters.
"We are proud of the variety we offer at the Louisiana Book Festival. The amount of poetry programs alone is a great example of that. Even some of the featured children's books are composed of charming and engaging rhyme," said Louisiana Book Festival Executive Director Jim Davis. "The day will have a fantastic showcase of homegrown talent, as well as some of the rising stars in the poetry world when we once again welcome the National Student Poets."
The Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers partner to present the National Student Poets, the country's highest honor for youth poets presenting original work. Five outstanding high school poets, whose work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft, and promise, are selected annually for a year of service as national poetry ambassadors.
The class of 2023 National Student Poets are Jacqueline Flores (Southeast region), Zolfo Springs, FL; Miles Hardingwood (Northeast region), Brooklyn, NY; Shangri-La Hou (Midwest region), St. Louis, MO; Kallan McKinney (Southwest region), Norman, OK; and Gabriella Miranda (West region), Salt Lake City, UT, They will be accompanied by Hannah Jones, Manager of the National Student Poets Program, and the festival is honored that Chris Wisniewski, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, will be joining them. Chapbooks of the students' work will be available free at the program, while they last, and the students will participate in an author signing afterwards.
For more information about the 2023 Louisiana Book Festival, visit LouisianaBookFestival.org.