In 2021, the Academy of American Poets awarded $1.1 Million to twenty-three poets laureate across the country. The fellowship program is made possible by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which, in January of 2020, awarded the Academy $4.5 million to fund the program. These poets laureate fellows led public poetry programs in their respective communities. 

The 2021 poets laureate fellows and communities they served are Marcus Amaker (Charleston, SC), Semaj Brown (Flint, MI), Roscoe Burnems (Richmond, VA), Aileen Cassinetto (San Mateo County, CA), Leslie Contreras Schwartz (Houston, TX), Magdalena Gómez (Springfield, MA), Georgina Marie Guardado (Lake County, CA), Chasity Gunn (Elgin, IL), Kari Gunter-Seymour (Ohio), Luisa A. Igloria (Virginia), Angela Jackson (Illinois), Dasha Kelly Hamilton (Milwaukee, WI and Wisconsin state), Melissa Kwasny and M.L. Smoker (Montana), Bobby LeFebre (Colorado), Debra Marquart (Iowa), Trapeta B. Mayson (Philadelphia, PA), Anis Mojgani (Oregon), Chelsea Rathburn (Georgia), Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson (San Antonio, TX), Lloyd Schwartz (Somerville, MA), M. Bartley Seigel (Upper Peninsula, MI), and Brian Sonia-Wallace (West Hollywood, CA).

Learn about the 2021 poet laureate fellows, their communities and projects, writing, and thoughts on poetry, by reading these interviews conducted with them throughout their fellowship year. 

Photo of Marcus Amaker

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Marcus Amaker

Marcus Amaker
Semaj Brown

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Semaj Brown

Semaj Brown Interview Photo

Aileen Cassinetto

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Aileen Cassinetto

Aileen Cassinetto

Leslie Contreras Schwartz

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Leslie Contreras Schwartz

Leslie Contreras Schwartz

Magdalena Gómez

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Magdalena Gómez

Magdalena Gomez

Georgina Marie Guardado

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Georgina Marie Guardado

Chasity Gunn

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Chasity Gunn

Chasity Gunn

Kari Gunter-Seymour

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Kari Gunter-Seymour

Kari Gunter-Seymour

Luisa A. Igloria

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Luisa A. Igloria

Luisa A. Igloria

Dasha Kelly Hamilton

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Dasha Kelly Hamilton

Dasha Kelly Hamilton

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Melissa Kwasny and M. L. Smoker

Melissa Kwasny and M.L. Smoker

Bobby LeFebre

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Bobby LeFebre

Bobby LeFebre

Debra Marquart

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Debra Marquart

Debra Marquart

Trapeta B. Mayson

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Trapeta B. Mayson

Trapeta B. Mayson

Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson

Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson

Lloyd Schwartz

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: Lloyd Schwartz

Lloyd Schwartz

M. Bartley Seigel

Poets Laureate Fellows Interview: M. Bartley Seigel

M. Bartley Seigel