April 26, 2022
City Council
DATE: April 26, 2022
TO: Mayor Butt and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Melvin Willis, Councilmember
Subject:
Recognition of National Poetry Month
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact related to this item.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
There has been no previous action taken.
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
April is National Poetry Month. Each year a Poet
Laureate is selected by the Richmond Arts and Culture
Commission.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECEIVE poetry reading from Poet Laureates David Flores and Adriana Avalos in honor of National Poetry Month –
Councilmember Melvin Willis (510-412-2050).
DISCUSSION:
Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month reminds the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters.
David Flores is the current FY2021-2022 Poet Laureate for Richmond. He is a former teacher of 11 years at Grant Elementary and is currently the Lead Trainer at Mindful Life Project. He was born and raised in Richmond where he lives with his wife and two college-aged children, Maya and Francisco.
AGENDA
REPORT
April 26, 2022
Adriana Avalos is a youth who was selected by RYSE to serve as the 2022 Youth Poet Laureate of Richmond. Adriana is a Bay Area born Chicana poet, activist, and scholar.
Congratulations to both David Flores and Adriana Avalos on being selected.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – “Home” by Adriana Avalos
Attachment 2 – “WE ARE RICHMOND” by David Flores