Cincinnati’s First Youth Poet Laureate - Rimel Kamran

WordPlay Cincy is proud to announce Rimel Kamran as the Inaugural Cincinnati Youth Poet Laureate (Cincy YPL)! Rimel was chosen from an incredible group of young poets and we are thrilled to have her serve as the very first Youth Poet Laureate for Cincinnati. Rimel’s inauguration event will take place on Saturday, April 23rd at 2pm at WordPlay Cincy, 1556 Chase Ave, Cincinnati, 45223.

Rimel Kamran is a current junior at the Summit Country Day School and an aspiring poet. Her poetry aims to build community, celebrate diversity, and share her Pakistani-American identity. She has received awards from the Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition and Mount St. Joseph University and has received publication in The Weight Journal. She serves on the Executive Board for the National Diversity Coalition, a student-led organization dedicated to implementing diversity in schools, and was selected for the Regional Youth Leadership Program hosted by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. She is also a tutor for middle school students through her local mosque. When she’s not writing, she enjoys pursuing her interests in the sciences and medicine. She hopes to share her love for poetry and social justice, especially with youth, and encourage individuals to seek the unheard poem within them

As the Cincy Youth Poet Laureate, Rimel will have poems published in the National Youth Poet Laureate publication, a feature in the National Youth Poet Laureate annual anthology, entry into Regional Youth Poet Laureate contest, mentoring sessions & public performances with Cincinnati Poet Laureates Pauletta Hansel and Manuel Iris, reading & speaking Engagements April 2022- March 2023, including major events with the City of Cincinnati, the Elliston Poetry Room at The University of Cincinnati & The Public Library of Cincinnati, printing and publishing of Poet’s works by the Library’s Makers’ Space, and a $1000 Scholarship.

Cincy YPL is a creative writing and civic engagement out-of-school competition that aims to identify youth writers and leaders who are committed to community service through poetry, performance, and social justice. This literary competition is a national initiative through Urban Word, powered by local education and literary organizations across the country. Previous National YPL recipients include Amanda Gorman, Alexandra Huynh, & many talented youth. To learn more about the National Youth Poet Laureate program, visit: https://www.youthlaureate.org/

In Cincinnati, YPL is hosted by WordPlay Cincy with the support of community partners, including The City of Cincinnati, The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, University of Cincinnati's Elliston Poetry Room, and Cincinnati's Adult Poet Laureate Program.

Any and all invitations and inquiries should be directed to youthpoet@wordplaycincy.org