Mayor Bass Announces L.A.’s New Poet Laureate: Brian Sonia-Wallace

Los Angeles Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace with LA City officials. Photo courtesy of Mayor Bass

April is National Poetry Month

LOS ANGELES — Mayor Karen Bass April 29 announced Brian Sonia-Wallace as Los Angeles’ Poet Laureate, marking a new chapter in one of the city’s most distinguished literary programs. A nationally-recognized poet, Sonia-Wallace is known for composing spontaneous poems on his 1938 Remington typewriter, transforming everyday spaces into sites of creativity and connection. This announcement marks the 30th annual celebration of National Poetry Month. Watch the announcement here.

“Poetry belongs to every Angeleno, and Brian Sonia-Wallace has a remarkable gift for bringing people together through its power,” said Mayor Bass. “I am proud to name him our next Poet Laureate and look forward to the inspiration and connection he will foster across the many communities that make up our great city.”

“My guiding vision is simple: a Poetry City, where every neighborhood has access to poetry as connective tissue,” said Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace. “L.A. is full of poets! Why shouldn’t every coffee shop and bookstore have a poet-in-residence? There’s the possibility in this role to create a blueprint for that enduring ecosystem.”

Selected through a competitive, citywide process, Sonia-Wallace will serve a one-year term as a cultural ambassador for Los Angeles, helping to elevate poetry, expand access to the arts, and engage communities through public programming.

The City of Los Angeles Poet Laureate program, established in 2012 has honored some of the nation’s most esteemed literary voices, including Eloise Klein Healy, Luis J. Rodriguez, Robin Coste Lewis, and Lynne Thompson.

“Brian Sonia-Wallace is an acclaimed poet and cultural worker who has an inspiring ability to bring poetry into the public square,” said Daniel Tarica, Department of Cultural Affairs general manager. “Sonia- Wallace’s work connects us through our shared humanity, and with his commitment to intercultural exchange, environmental and social justice, and LGBTQ+ rights, Sonia-Wallace will bring a voice and vision to Angelenos that connects communities through a shared love of poetry. With Los Angeles’ next Poet Laureate in place, we look forward to celebrating the City’s rich history of poetry together.”