Ching-In Chen Receives Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship

Ching-In Chen, the 2024 poet laureate of Redmond, Washington, has been honored with the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship, a prestigious award given to only 22 poets nationwide. This fellowship includes a $50,000 grant designed to support poets in civic positions and enhance public poetry programs. Chen is currently leading an initiative called "Read Local Eat Local," which connects local poets with food establishments to celebrate Redmond's cultural spirit through poetry. The project will launch at the Downtown Redmond Art Walk on September 19, featuring readings on the Buoyant Pavilion. Participating local businesses will display poems submitted by community members, focusing on themes such as food, harvest, and lineage.

Mayor Angela Birney highlighted the importance of the poet laureate program in promoting poetry and community engagement. The project is further supported by a generous grant from 4Culture, which enables collaboration with international poets. Chen expressed enthusiasm about the fellowship's potential to expand the project, incorporating voices from diverse literary traditions.