Ajala Sen Selected as Long Beach’s Fourth Youth Poet Laureate

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PRESS RELEASE

Above: Ajala Sen has been honored with the prestigious recognition of 2026 Youth Poet Laureate of Long Beach.

Long Beach, CA - Ajala Sen has been named the 2026 Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) of Long Beach, a prestigious recognition honoring her passion for social change and her ability to illuminate vulnerable truths and needs of the Long Beach community through her literary work. Sen, the City's fourth Youth Poet Laureate, was celebrated during a live ceremony on May 16 at the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, where four Youth Poet Ambassadors were also selected as part of the Long Beach YPL program: Ruby Giles, Cecelia Rogers, Annali Bojorquez, and Kieran Lundy.

"Long Beach is proud to support young artists who use their voices to strengthen community, inspire dialogue, and advocate for change," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "Ajala Sen and this year's Youth Poet Ambassadors represent the creativity, leadership, and vision of the next generation."

Sen was named the 2026-27 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate due to her commitment to uplifting marginalized voices and advocating for underserved communities. Using poetry and music to inspire connection, political awareness and change, her work reflects the spirit and purpose of the Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate designation. The Long Beach YPL program empowers local youth to inspire civic engagement, creativity, and positive community change through poetry, storytelling and artistic expression.

"I hope to unite the community in such dark, unjust, and uncertain times and show the power the arts have in shaping our future, said Ajala Sen. "I'm looking forward to getting to know and working with the new LBYPL cohort. It feels like we're building a strong community through poetry, and I'm excited to see what we can accomplish together."

As Youth Poet Laureate, Sen will serve a one-year term and receive a $1,500 scholarship. Like the Youth Poet Laureates before her, Sen will also represent Long Beach's youth at public events, lead creative workshops and collaborate with City departments and cultural organizations to promote literary engagement and civic participation.

"The Youth Poet Laureate program gives young writers a platform to amplify their voices and share stories that matter," said Cathy De Leon, Director of Library, Arts, and Culture for the City of Long Beach. "We are excited to support this new cohort as they use poetry to inspire conversation, connection, and community impact."

Joining Sen in this year's cohort, the 2026 Long Beach Youth Poet Ambassadors Giles, Rogers, Bojorquez and Lundy will each receive a $500 scholarship. Through spring 2027, the LBYPL cohort will participate in workshops, mentorship opportunities and community engagement activities centered on poetry and the arts. Participants will also gain professional development experience through collaborations with organizations and artists throughout Long Beach, while preparing work for publication and sharing performances through live readings, video recordings and gallery exhibitions.

For more information, visit the Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate Program website or call 562.570.7500.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

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