All Pittsburghers are Poets: Youth to the Front is a live, virtual poetry showcase featuring teen writers presented by City of Asylum in collaboration with Write Pittsburgh. This reading features Vincent Folkes, our inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of Allegheny County 2020-2021, who will give the closing performance of his laureateship.

Joining Vincent are teen poets from Write Pittsburgh workshops and City of Asylum’s Youth Poet Ambassadors of Allegheny County. These young poets have all continued to write through this pandemic year, and we are honored to present their work.

Vincent Folkes is a 19-year-old creative, entrepreneur, and college sophomore studying Business at the Community College of Allegheny County. He began writing songs and later transitioned into writing poetry, creating beats, mixing, and mastering music. He has participated in and facilitated anti-racist trainings as well as given presentations about prejudice versus racism and oppression in the Black community. As the inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of Allegheny County 2020-2021, Vincent has performed his poetry at Carlow University, United Black Book Clubs of Pittsburgh, Winchester Thurston, and City of Asylum.

All Pittsburghers are Poets, a project of City of Asylum, facilitates the Youth Poet Laureate of Allegheny County Program, which honors young writers who excel in the poetic arts and contribute to social justice and civic life.

Write Pittsburgh is a program collective that amplifies voices, empowers writers, and encourages relationships that build writer agency and fosters relationships that grow and strengthen community.

All Pittsburghers are Poets received a RADical ImPAct Grant from the RAD (Allegheny Regional Asset District). Urban Word is the primary partner for the Youth Poet Laureate of Allegheny County, an official member of the National Youth Poet Laureate Program led by Urban Word.