The position of Poet Laureate for the City of Jersey City was established by resolution of the Jersey City Municipal Council in 2018. Ann E. Wallace, PhD was named the City of Jersey City’s third Poet Laureate (2023-2024) in December 2022.
About Ann E. Wallace, PhD:
Ann E. Wallace, PhD is a poet, essayist, and public speaker from Jersey City, New Jersey who has written and spoken widely about her experience with Long COVID. She has lived a life of illness, from ovarian cancer in her twenties, to a multiple sclerosis diagnosis before age 40, to marking her 50th birthday in 2020 with a severe case of COVID from which she has spent more than two years recovering. Pain, disability, and disease have inspired and informed her work over the past three decades as a poet, essayist, memoir writer, and literary scholar of illness narratives and trauma studies. Her work has appeared in a wide range of venues, including dozens of literary journals, popular media including Huffington Post and USA Today, and academic journals and collections.
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About the Poet Laureate:
The Poet Laureate serves as an ambassador for poetry, representing the artistic spirit of Jersey City while fostering public appreciation for the literary arts. This role involves a variety of responsibilities including: poetry readings, workshops, special events, and collaborations with local organizations to inspire and engage residents through the power of poetry. The Jersey City Arts Council evaluates nominations for Poet Laureate, including creative excellence and community impact. The Jersey City Arts Council sends finalists’ names and supporting recommendations to the Mayor of Jersey City, who appoints the Poet Laureate with the advice and consent of City Council. The term of service is two years.
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JERSEY CITY POET LAUREATES
Inaugural Poet Laureate 2019-2020
RASHAD WRIGHT
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Poet Laureate 2021-2022
RESCUE POETIX
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