Meera Dasgupta

May 18, 2020, New York City, NY.

On May 16, on a Facebook live virtual event, the 4 finalists for the National Youth Poet Laureate title streamed in from their homes across the nation due to Covid-19 shelter in place orders. Meera Dasgupta, New York City’s Youth Poet Laureate since Fall 2019, was chosen by a panel of esteemed judges, that included former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, as the nation’s 4th Youth Poet Laureate. Dasgupta was chosen from a field of other Youth Poet Laureates from 40 different states and more than 50 cities.

“The Youth Poet Laureate Program is important at this moment because it celebrates young poets thriving and still upholding their communities during this really difficult global crisis,” says Urban Word CEO, Michael Cirelli.“ Meera was chosen because of her unapologetic focus on uplifting the voices of underrepresented communities while also leading critical social justice actions to serve those same communities.”

Dasgupta is an activist, a member of numerous advocacy groups, a poet, and an outstanding student. She is also the 2020 Regional Youth Poet Laureate Ambassador for the Northeastern United States, a Van Lier Fellow, Federal Hall Fellow, Climate Speaks winner, & Scholastic Arts and Writing winner. Her performances have been featured by the NY Times, PBS, Apple, Grist, The Apollo, Bryant Park, etc. And she has been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, the Teen Vogue Summit, and TedxCUNY, among many others.

“I will use this title to redefine what it means to be an American,” said Dasgupta. “to portray intersectional feminist voices at the crossroads of poetry and activism. I have been given a mic to the nation and with it, I hope to uplift the voices of many others: to pass the mic, in fact,” stated Dasgupta in her acceptance speech.