Santa Clara County
Youth Poet Laureate
Program
The Santa Clara County Youth Poet Laureate program is youth-centered program to celebrate literacy and self-literacy through poetry and connect young writers to opportunities for performances and community collaborations
Each year, we will accept applications from talented Santa Clara County writers (ages 13-18) to join a community of young poets. The Laureate earns an educational scholarship. The Laureate will, and all the Finalists are invited to, serve as ambassadors for literacy, arts and youth expression with ongoing opportunities for performances, projects, and peer support.
Every applicant will be invited to stay in connection with the SCC Youth Poet Laureate community.
Fred Jackson
FIRST-ROUND READER
Fred Jackson was born and raised in the Bay Area. Growing up, Jackson found enjoyment in reading all types of novels, such as mysteries, autobiographies, fiction, non-fiction as well as poems! Jackson wrote poems in his life that were about friendships, love, relationships, and life and its many struggles. He found peace in being able to express his thoughts and feelings on paper in a way that really can convey how he feels. Jackson looks forward to seeing today's youth do the same. Currently, he is a football and basketball coach.
Ellie Lopez
FIRST-ROUND READER
Ellie Lopez (she/her) is a storyteller & photographer from the 209. Her work has been published by Sin Cesar, Maria’s at Sampaguitas, curio cabinet, hot pot magazine and mixed mag. She has been a reader for SCCYPL for three years and loves reading all the poetry submissions submitted. When she’s not ear hustling for chismes or telling stories you can find her on social media @missellielopez. Ellie’s BuiLit Zine “While in Mourning” comes out in May via Sampaguitas Press.
Thy Hope Luong
FIRST-ROUND READER
Thy Hope Luong (she/her) is a Vietnamese-American poet, artist, and advocate based in San José. Her writing and art have been recognized by the New York Times, YoungArts, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and various other galleries. She serves as San José D4 Youth Commissioner, lobbies for education reform at Generation Up, and is the founder of Learn4Justice, an international youth organization providing justice-oriented humanities education to underserved students. Thy is very enthusiastic about superhero films, youth civic engagement, and writing terrible love songs on the guitar.
Nik Vik
FIRST-ROUND READER
Nik Vik is a comedy and horror screenwriter who has written and directed a number of short films and sketches. His most recent work is the slice of afterlife web comic The “Guardian” of Purgatory, which he makes with his friend and illustrator Meena Vempaty. Currently, Nik is in post production of his next short film and volunteers at the Oakland-based All Out Comedy Theater.
Ellie Lopez
FIRST-ROUND READER
Ellie Lopez (she/her) is a Latinx storyteller from the 209. Her work has recently been featured in Anthologies & Allegories, Resurrection Mag, Marias at Sampaguitas, Moonchild Mag’s Moonlogs and Hombre Lobo. When she’s not ear hustling for the best chismes, she is working on her poetry collection. You can follow her work on linktr.ee/ellielopez and her shenanigans on Instagram & Twitter : @missellielopez
Raisa Haque
FIRST-ROUND READER
Raisa Haque graduated from University of the Pacific where she studied Business Marketing and minored in English. Her interest in poetry sparked in college where she first felt comfortable sharing her art and spoken word through open mic sessions on campus. Raisa's first publication was in Calliope Literary Arts Magazine highlighting two poems centered around lessons in friendship and family. She currently works in finance and recently became a life coach through Dharma Coaching Institute where she helps women align with their truth and discover their soul’s purpose. In her free time she enjoys running, reading, writing, and playing basketball.
Maria Bolaños
FIRST-ROUND READER
Maria Bolaños (she/her/they) is a Filipina-American poet, co-Editor in Chief for MarÃas at Sampaguitas magazine, and Co-Founder of Sampaguita Press. She is committed to building spaces to showcase Filipinx/a/o literature, as well as Black, Indigenous, and POC literature. Maria studied English, Media Studies, and Creative Writing at UC Berkeley. She reviews books for the pan-Asian Pacific American publication, International Examiner; and her poems are featured or forthcoming in US publications Touchstone, Cut Fruit Collective, Sage Cigarettes, and international publications Antigone and Yuzu Press, among others. Her first poetry chapbook, SANA, is set to release in Spring 2022. Instagram: @mariabeewrites.