November 1, 2018
The City of Edmonton and the City of Edmonton Youth Council have named Sophie Kim Edmonton’s new Youth Poet Laureate.
Kim is a grade 12 student at Old Scona Academic High School. Her work has been published in the school’s writing and arts magazine. She plans to attend the University of Alberta next fall to pursue a career as a healthcare professional.
“Poetry is something everyone has the capacity to get involved in, you don’t have to be a great writer or that top English kid to create a work of art that moves someone or allows you to express yourself,” says Kim. “The kind of self-reflection and complex thinking that poetry gives rise to is so important for youth as they mature into young adults, and I want to encourage that growth through poetry with other youth.”
The role of the Youth Poet Laureate is to reflect the life of a city through poetry readings, and act as a youth ambassador for the literary arts in Edmonton. For the 2018-19 term, Kim will promote youth civic engagement by elevating the voices of other youth in Edmonton through poetry. She will perform original works at City Council, city events and create a community poetry project.
In 2015, Edmonton became only the second city in Canada to have a Youth Poet Laureate. The position is a joint collaboration between the Edmonton Poetry Festival, City of Edmonton Youth Council and the City of Edmonton.
