Raffi Wartanian named one of 23 Laureate Fellows by Academy of American Poets

Since 2023, Senior Fellow Raffi Wartanian has served as the inaugural Poet Laureate of Glendale, California. Recently, Raffi was named one of 23 Poet Laureate Fellows nationwide by the Academy of American Poets. “These fellowships recognize poets laureate for their literary excellence while enabling them to undertake impactful and timely projects that engage their communities through the transformative power of poetry,” the Academy’s official fellowship page explains.

Raffi’s fellowship project, San Gabriel Valley Phoenix Poets, champions the authentic self-expression of individuals and communities impacted by the January 2025 Eaton Fire.

As part of the project, Raffi will host a series of workshop-readings, “community poetics” encounters, video interviews, and a fundraiser event. He will also create an anthology, broadside bookmarks, a website, a mural, and a scholarship fund. The initiative has been featured by the Academy of American Poets and the fellowship program has been highlighted on NPR’s Morning Edition.

Congratulations, Raffi!

Learn more

• Visit the website of San Gabriel Valley Phoenix Poets
• Read more about the 23 Poet Laureate Fellows across the United States
• Listen to NPR’s coverage of the fellowship