UTICA: Submissions for the NAACP Utica/Oneida County Poet Laureate and Youth
Poet Laureate are in, and the NAACP Utica/Oneida County branch will recognize those
selected at a ceremony to be held Sunday, April 23 at 2 p.m. at Munson in the Root
Sculpture Court!
Participants submitted original poems surrounding the theme of “Making Cents: positive
change inside and out”. Poets being recognized this year include: Natalie M. Williams as
Poet Laureate, Jainaba Janneh as Youth Poet Laureate, and Noah Haar and Sarah Butcher as honorable mentions.
Representatives from the City of Utica will join Mrs. Freddie Hamilton, the president of the
Utica/Oneida County branch of the NAACP, and members of the community as the selected
poets read their poetry and are presented with their awards. The Poet Laureates and
Honorable Mentions will receive an NAACP membership for the year, a package of poetry
related books, financial awards, and have the opportunity to perform at upcoming community events, as well as, engage with local high schools and colleges.
The Poet Laureates will serve a one-year term from May of 2023 through May of 2024.
The NAACP Utica/Oneida County Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate is an initiative
intended to recognize the creativity, talent and diverse experiences of community members in Oneida County, particularly as our communities continue to grapple with challenges that are personal and systemic, local and global. This program provides a spotlight for creative
individuals in the county who eloquently express not only their challenges but their hopes forchange, and their vision for having an impact through the use of poetry and spoken word.
“The Utica-Oneida County Branch of the NAACP’s Poet Laureate initiative continues the
NAACP’s long tradition of empowering the marginalized to make room for themselves in
society,” said Mrs. Freddie Hamilton, President of the Utica-Oneida County NAACP branch.“The poets among us help us to understand the many ways that our souls experience, understand and express life.”
Tinashe Manguwa, selected as Poet Laureate in 2022, reflected on what this role has meant to him. “Before becoming poet laureate, writing was often a solitary craft, and I wanted to
shield my words from the critique of others. This role has shown me the power of poetry
when it is shared and given to others. I have been fortunate to interact with others who share my passions and witness firsthand how the arts can bring people together.”
This initiative was made possible through the NAACP Utica-Oneida County branch’s
partnership with the City of Utica and Munson, and with the support of Adirondack Bank,
Ancora!, the Bagel Grove, PJ Green, and a number of individual donors. For more
information about the NAACP Utica-Oneida County Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate,
please visit: https://tinyurl.com/PoetLaureateGuidelines2023 or email
naacputica.oneida@gmail.com.
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The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is
to achieve equity, political rights, and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices
that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well-being,
education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color.
