Join us for an incredible evening with four Philadelphia Youth Poets Laureate in a panel discussion about the role of the Youth Poet Laureate in Philadelphia. Submit your questions for the panel in advance via this Google form.

This virtual event will be broadcast live to the Free Library Teen Central YouTube channel. If you are unable to join the live broadcast, you will be able to view the recording of the panel later on the Free Library Teen Central YouTube channel.

Applications for the 2022-2023 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate will open on Monday, May 2nd. Please check the Poet Laureate page on the Free Library website for the latest updates.

Moderator: Cydney Brown (2020-2021 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate)
Cydney Brown is the former Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate. She is an award-winning poet and author of “Daydreaming.” She is a Senior at Abington Friends School and has been writing poetry since she was in 5th grade. Brown has been featured in The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, 6abc, Philadelphia Citizen, and Fox29. She loves that there are no limitations to writing. She has recited her poetry at The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Benjamin Franklin Hall, Lincoln University, The Ideas We Should Steal Festival and The Kelly’s Writers house. Her poetry explores the topics of social justice, self-image, love, and nature. She won first place in The National Hip Hop workshop poetry competition and loves to perform spoken word poetry. She is the Recipient of The Romero Scholarship For Excellence in Spoken Word. She is a Gold Award Ambassador Girl Scout who is active in improving her community and is the recipient of The Good Citizenship Award. Cydney wishes to inspire people to speak their truth and share her poetry with the world.

Panelists

Mia Concepcion (2019-2020 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate)

Mia Concepcion is an undergraduate student at Temple University studying Art Education. Mia began writing poetry in high school and competed in citywide poetry slams for Philly Slam League. Mia served as Philadelphia's 2019-2020 Youth Poet Laureate, and through this civic position Mia thrived to engage youth poets across Philadelphia in the transformative power of poetry and the arts. Mia wishes to use poetry, arts, and multifaceted creative practices to speak on current issues, explore identity, and to inspire youth.

Wes Matthews (2018-2019 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate)

Wes Matthews is a Detroit-born, Philadelphia-based poet and essayist. His work has been published in 68to05, Gulf Coast, Muzzle, and elsewhere. He is the recipient of the 2020 College Alumni Society Prize for his poetry and the 2020 Lillian and Benjamin Levy Award for his music criticism. Wes served as the 2018-19 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate.

Husnaa Haajarah Hashim (2017-2018 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate)

Husnaa Haajarah Hashim is a poet, interdisciplinary artist, student herbalist, and undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania (2022). A Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate (2017-2018), Husnaa is the author of the chapbook Honey Sequence (The Head & The Hand, 2018).