of Prince George's County

Michaela Lacy (2018)

THE RADIANCE CONTINUES - Congratulations goes out to Prince George's 2023 YPL Precious Foreman for recently winning the title of MISS BLACK MARYLAND TALENTED TEEN 2025!! ...and of course for the talent portion of the event, you KNOW she blew everyone away with her poem, "An Ode to Big Women"!

ATTENTION ALL CREATIVE WRITERS GRADES 8 THRU 12
WHETHER YOU ARE AN ASPIRING POET, AUTHOR, STORYTELLER OR PODCASTER
SIGN UP NOW FOR THE PGCPS TEEN WRITERS CONFERENCE 

The Teen Writers Conference is a unique and enriching experience designed for student writers across Prince George’s County. This conference is a one-day event in which you will engage with professional authors and educators to enhance your writing skills, explore professional aspects of writing, and interact with professional writers in a fun and supportive environment. As a participant you will also have the opportunity to share and perform your work. For more information, call 301-237-6684

OUR 2020 COUNTY YOUTH POET LAUREATE, MARISSA MICHEL, has proven herself to be a multi-layered artist, moving from poetry to digital art, and now to FILMAKING! 

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Dominique Holder (2016)

GRATITUDE GOES OUT to our 2022 YPL Imani West for the leadership, grace & creativity shown throughout her laureateship, touching hearts & minds everywhere from community centers to the Kennedy Center! Her soft-spoken yet magnetic performances has inspired hundreds across the DMV, even earning herself an internship at The White House! Way to go, Imani!

Thurs, Dec 18th, 4:00 - 5:30 PM, Surratts-Clinton Library
Fresh Voices Holiday Open Mic

WITNESS Montpelier's "Hidden Spaces" presentation, which explores the side entrances, passageways & sleeping areas for the enslaved which were tucked away throughout the mansion. 

LEARN the stories of resilience & resistance from our people - for example; every year, there were at least 30 instances of runaway slaves from Montpelier.  

AFTER THE TOUR, go exploring on your own, relax outside in the courtyard, talk to the guides, or walk along the trail surrounding the property - writing & reflecting.
 

WE ARE INTERNATIONAL! Here, our 2019 & 2021 Prince George's Laureates are interviewed by BBC News about The Amanda Gorman Effect

CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO OUR 2026

YOUTH POET AMBASSADORS

EGYPT DAWKINS - Capital Heights

OLACHI AKACHI-ODOEMENE - Fairmont Heights

PSALM FOWLKES - Temple Hills​

SARAE PAYNE - Forestville

VICTORIA LYNCH - Suitland

XAVIER PERRY - Upper Marlboro ​

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FOR THESE TEENS, This is the first step to a professional career as a writer & public speaker - any organizations interested in booking any of our youth poets for  any functions, please contact Patrick Washington at 301 237 6684 or Neville Adams at 240 426 2629

Precious Foreman (2023) 

One Youth Poet Laureate. Six Ambassadors.  Seven youth poets who are paving the way to the future.

LEARN MORE

PAST PGC YOUTH POET LAUREATES

Mi'Jan Credle (2019)

PGAHC; PGCMLS; Dialect of Prince George's; The National Museum of Language; Patron of the Arts, Cecile Tolliver; and Inaugural Prince George's County Poet Laureate, Sistah Joy Alford, partnered to present Voices of the County - Prince George's County Laureate and Awards Naming Ceremony in the Sojourner Truth Lecture Hall at the Oxon Hill Branch Library on April 22, 2026.   

Tatiana Figueroa Ramirez  was named 2026 Prince George's County Poet Laureate.  She will serve a 2-year term.
Osaze Murray of Bowie, Maryland was named the 2026 Youth Poet Laureate and will serve for 1 year.
2023 Prince George's County Youth Poet Laureate, Precious Foreman, was announced as the winner of the 2026 Lucille Clifton Literary          

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF ELEVATING & AMPLIFYING

YOUTH VOICES

ALSO, TO COMMEMORATE the 100th birthday of the iconic author, playwright & social scientist, James Baldwin, Marissa joined our Dialect poets in celebrating him by creating a video poem, titled, "ECHOES" - combining scenes of life, love and hope in his honor... Enjoy!

OSAZE MURRAY - THE 2026 PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY YOUTH POET LAUREATE

FRESH VOICES IS COMING!

Join Kaylee & all of our youth poets as we partner with Prince George's Memorial Library System to embark on a performance tour at county branches all year!

SAINEY CEESAY, OUR 2021 YPL, has continued making her mark beyond her Laureateship by lending her voice for multiple virtual events & speaking engagements.  She was recently commissioned to write and perform an original poem dedicated to the grand opening of the new Hyattsville Library and absolutely blew everyone away!  Everyone loved her poem so much that after  her standing ovation, the PGCMLS official asked for a copy of the poem to frame in the Library's front entrance - now THAT'S how to leave an impression!

​OSAZE MURRAY OF BOWIE, MD

 NAMED THE 2026 PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY YOUTH POET LAUREATE

Osaze Murray is a 15 year old poet based out of Bowie Maryland. After being spurred on to write poetry by his 8th grade reading teacher, Osaze continued to perform, pushing his pen & pursuing his craft inspired by poets like Rudy Francisco. He has performed at the Beats vs Booms poetry slam, The comcast Juneteenth poetry slam, the Pgati conference at the Kennedy center, the opening of the James Baldwin exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery, the Kaitz dinner in New York, and the Maryland Stories Tapestry Gala. As the youth poet laureate, he would like to implement awareness about food deserts or Alzheimer's disease as his grandfather was recently diagnosed with the disease. In terms of community service, he has served on the advisory council for the Student Member of the Board putting on county wide events.

Kaylee Joge  (2025) 

Sainey Ceesay (2021)

Imani West (2022)

ONCE AGAIN THIS SPRING, The Dialect Poets and YPL Ambassadors will visit the Montpelier House Museum in Laurel, Maryland as part of the, "Fighting Destiny Tour". 

Marissa Michel (2020)

Saniya Pearson  (2024) 

OUR 2024 YPL has been busier than any other Youth Poet Laureate before her - touching hearts & minds across the DMV! Saniya has performed at gala events for the Library of Congress, the National Center for Children and Families, The Community Foundation, and at the official ribbon cutting for Bowie State University’s new multi-million dollar Martin Luther King Jr. Communications Center.

Samantha Jackson (2017)

Marissa recently teamed up with 2022 YPL Imani West to shoot & edit a video for Imani's original poem titled, "My Hair My Crown" - a short film that follows Imani as she explores her hair journey through the years & how her hair affects how she is perceived by the world around her. The video features Poetry and interviews recorded at the beautiful Wellspring Manor Spa and at Natural Touch Hair Studios in Upper Marlboro.

Check out the video below!

Youth Poets