—Arshia Simkin, The Underline
In 2021, Amanda Gorman—America’s first ever National Youth Poet Laureate —captured the public imagination in her canary yellow suit as she delivered an original poem at Joe Biden’s inauguration. Gorman may have popularized the concept of the “Youth Poet Laureate” but North Carolina—and Orange County—have long championed the poetic arts.
In 2018, then-governor Roy Cooper appointed Jaki Shelton Green as the North Carolina Poet Laureate; Green is the first Black appointee and the third woman to hold the post; she was re-appointed in 2021. Green is a prolific writer and has published eight books of poetry in her decades as a working poet. On Juneteenth, she released her first record, The River Speaks of Thirst, which contains 10 spoken poems. According the liner notes for the album: “Her gentle murmur is so soothing it can take a while for the listener to realize these song-poems cover subjects like the middle passage of slavery (“This I Know For Sure”), lynchings (“I Wanted To Ask the Trees”), police shootings (“Oh My Brother”) and America’s original, still-biggest sin of racism (“Letter From the Other Daughter of the Confederacy”).”
In addition to writing poetry, Green has also always been an advocate for spreading the appreciation of poetry—and especially to diverse communities. In 2023, Green debuted the High School Poet Laureate Program to recognize and provide mentorship for students who are passionate about poetry. Green celebrates the power of poetry: in an email interview, Green said, “I am constantly witnessing how poetry creates new worlds of self discovery when student writers unearth the power inside of their creativity and realize how they can manifest as creative makers.”
Alyssa Haithcock, a seventeen-year-old senior at Partnership Academy, is one of Orange County’s High School Poet Laureates. In addition to poetry, Haithcock has a passion for the outdoors and loves riding dirt bikes and motorcycles. She said that she discovered poetry during a creative writing class and was inspired by her English teacher to “write more than I ever expected.” For Haithcock, poetry is integral to her life because it allows her to express her creativity and because “it can offer new perspectives, challenge our thinking, and help us connect with others on a deeper level.”
Green is especially proud to note that the first North Carolina Youth Poet Laureate, Rishi Janakirama, was appointed in May 2025 by the National Youth Poet Laureate Program. Shelton said via email, “This appointment is a major highlight for our State and a significant accomplishment for the many high school poet laureates to strive for since the next step beyond serving the entire state is to be selected as the Youth Poet Laureate of the United States.”
In an article for WALTER on the High School Poet Laureate Program, Green noted that “the program endeavors to increase the visibility and enjoyment of poetry in all communities through local readings, writing, events and workshops.”
For Green, the High School Poet Laureate Program is a crucial means of not just self-expression but of broader engagement: she said, “These programs collectively celebrate the talents of an emerging generation of writers by creating spaces and programs for young people to participate in cultural, social, and political conversations of their time.”
