SACRAMENTO, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom announced in April the reappointment of Fresno’s Lee Herrick to serve a second two-year term as California’s Poet Laureate.
The role of the California Poet Laureate is to spread the art of poetry across the state, to inspire an emerging generation of literary artists, and to educate all Californians about the many poets and authors who have influenced California creative literary expression.
Over the course of a two-year term, the California Poet Laureate provides public readings and engagement in urban and rural settings across the state; educates civic and state leaders about the value of poetry and creative expression; and undertakes a significant cultural project that aims to bring the poetic arts to students who might otherwise have little opportunity to be exposed to poetry.
Herrick’s reappointment marks the first time a poet laureate has been selected to serve for a second term since the position was officially established in 2001.
“It has been an incredible honor, expansive, and joyful to serve the last two years as California Poet Laureate. The poetry of California is alive and well,” said Herrick. “I am grateful and honored to be reappointed to a second term, and I look forward to continuing to advocate for poetry throughout our great state.”
“Governor Newsom’s reappointment of Lee Herrick as California Poet Laureate is a truly significant and unprecedented moment that underscores the profound impact of his work over the past two years in service to California as an advocate for the literary arts,” said California Arts Council Executive Director Danielle Brazell. “His continued deep commitment to making poetry accessible to all will undoubtedly further enrich our state’s cultural landscape. We at the California Arts Council wholeheartedly congratulate him on this well-deserved honor and look forward to the continued flourishing of poetry under his laureateship.”
About Lee Herrick
Herrick, 54, of Fresno, is a writer and professor who teaches at Fresno City College and the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. A former Fresno Poet Laureate, Herrick’s work is a vivid celebration of the California experience.
He is the founder of LitHop and an advisory board member of Terrain.org, Sixteen Rivers Press, and Anacapa Review, and a member of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. Herrick earned a Master of Arts degree in English, composition and rhetoric and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American literature from California State University, Stanislaus.
Herrick’s poetry canon explores the diversity and vitality of the California experience and the exhilarating success of the American experiment. Born in Daejeon, South Korea and adopted as an infant, he grew up in Modesto immersed in literature, art, and various cultural influences.
Herrick writes eloquently on the immigrant experience – bringing to life the smell of chapchae and the sound of mariachi trumpets, the farmers market at midnight, and the small talk of Armenian neighbors. Herrick’s work is a Whitmanesque celebration of the best spirit of our state, the vibrancy of the Central Valley, and ourselves.
Herrick served as Poet Laureate of the City of Fresno from 2015 to 2017, where he led local efforts to bridge communities and engage young people in expressing themselves through writing.
Herrick’s work has been published in the Bloomsbury Review, Columbia Poetry Review, Berkeley Poetry Review, the Normal School, The Poetry Foundation, ZYZZYVA, and other publications. He is a contributor to many anthologies, particularly those examining the literary flourishing of California’s Central Valley. Herrick is the author of four books of poetry: In Praise of Late Wonder: New and Selected Poems, Scar and Flower, Gardening Secrets of the Dead, and This Many Miles from Desire.
About the Position
The position of California Poet Laureate was established as a part of the California Government Code in 2001 through AB 113, authored by Assemblymember Fran Pavley. Through this bill, the California Arts Council manages the nomination process for the California Poet Laureate. The Governor chooses the poet, and Senate approves the appointment. Previous to this establishing legislation, the title was unofficial and the position was held for life.
Past California Poets Laureate
1915 – 1928 Ina Donna Coolbrith
1929 – 1931 Dr. Henry Meade Bland
1933 – 1944 John Steven McGroarty
1953 – 1961 Gordon W. Norris
1966 – 2000 Charles Garrigus
2005 – 2008 Al Young
2008 – 2011 Carol Muske-Dukes
2012 – 2014 Juan Felipe Herrera
2015 – 2018 Dana Gioia
To learn more, visit https://capoetlaureate.org.
Media Inquiries Only:
Kimberly Brown
Public Affairs Specialist
kimberly.brown@arts.ca.gov
# # #
The California Arts Council is a state agency with a mission of strengthening arts, culture, and creative expression as the tools to cultivate a better California for all. It supports local arts infrastructure and programming statewide through grants, initiatives, and services. The California Arts Council envisions a California where all people flourish with universal access to and participation in the arts.
Members of the California Arts Council include: Roxanne Messina Captor, Chair; Leah Goodwin, Vice Chair; Gerald Clarke; Caleb Duarte; Vicki Estrada; Roy Hirabayashi; Alex Israel; Dorka Keehn; Phil Mercado; Nicola Miner. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.
The California Arts Council is committed to increasing the accessibility of its online content. For language and accessibility assistance, visit https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance. To read this announcement in Spanish, please use the website’s Google Translate tool by clicking the “Translate” link in the upper righthand corner of this page.
El Consejo de las Artes de California se compromete a aumentar la accesibilidad de sus contenidos en línea. Para obtener ayuda con el idioma y la accesibilidad, visite https://arts.ca.gov/about/about-us/language-communications-assistance. Para leer este anuncio en español, utilice la herramienta Google Translate del sitio web haciendo clic en el enlace “Traducir” situado en la esquina superior derecha de esta página.
