Are you a high school poet ready to amplify your voice?
We are currently accepting submissions for the next Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate competition! Apply by March 29, 2026.
What’s MYPL all about?
Open to Milwaukee County freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, the Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate (MYPL) program is an exciting opportunity to represent our city’s youth voice. Each year, we select one poet laureate, but MYPL is more than a competition. It’s a supportive community where young poets connect, collaborate, and make a difference.
Why get involved?
- Stand Out Academically: Boost your college applications with leadership, community involvement, and publication credits.
- Gain Professional Experience: Explore internships, performances, and partnerships with local organizations.
- Strengthen Your Voice: Share your work, connect with peers, and inspire change.
- Find Your Community: Meet poets who value empathy, creativity, and social justice.
The 2026-2027 Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate will receive:
- A $500 book allowance
- A paid summer internship with Woodland Pattern
- Mentorship and opportunities to perform, facilitate workshops, and compete for regional and national titles
Application requirements:
Submit 5 poems and a CV outlining extracurriculars, volunteer work, and academic honors. Want help? Reach out for guidance on creating, editing, and building a strong application. Submissions close March 29, 2026.
Angela Wang, a senior at University School of Milwaukee, named 2025-2026 Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate!
Writing has always been Angela's way of pushing back—against silence and against injustice—against the feeling that some stories aren’t meant to be told. For her, poetry is not just a form of expression, but a reflection of how she sees the world and her conviction to advocate for today’s youth.
Angela’s work often explores themes of identity, voice, and belonging. She writes about what it means to live in spaces that don’t always listen, and about the difficult emotions that don’t fit neatly into words. Though her poems sometimes stem from frustration, they are often rooted in hope, and always come from a place of deep care and passionate beliefs.
While Angela knows she may not have all the answers to the world’s questions, she hopes that by sharing her words, others will feel empowered to speak their truth. Poetry has given Angela the courage to share her inner voice, and she hopes to continue to use the power of storytelling to connect, awaken, and transform not just minds, but the world itself.
As the 2025–26 Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate, Angela will receive a $500 book allowance, a paid summer internship with Woodland Pattern (including a Poetry Camp counselor position), ongoing mentorship and support from Woodland Pattern throughout the Laureateship; along with opportunities to perform around the city, compete for regional and national titles, lead writing workshops for fellow youth poets, and connect with local organizations to spotlight social causes.
Upcoming Public Events with Angela Wang
All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise listed.
Sunday, January 18, 3 pm: Poetry Reading: Tabi Po:
In person at County Clare (1234 N. Astor St.)
Angela Wang will kick off the 2026 Tabi Po Poetry Series & Open Mic! As a featured reader, Angela will open the program with a 15-minute reading, followed by a community open mic. This series is popular, so come early, grab a cozy beverage, secure a seat, and sign up to read!
Saturday, January 24, 12 pm–1 pm: 32nd Annual Poetry Marathon & Benefit | Youth Hour
In person at Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel (139 E. Kilbourn Ave.)
Angela will read with previous MYPL winners Emily Igwike and Aleena Ahmed. The hour will also feature other bright young talents who participate in Woodland Pattern's various Youth Literary Arts Programs.
Past Events with Angela Wang
Saturday, October 25, 3 pm: Youth Workshop: Poetry with Angela Wang:
In person at Milwaukee Public Library East Branch (2320 N. Cramer St.)
Angela led a poetry workshop for writers ages 13–19. Together, participants explored how the energy of anger—whether loud or quiet—can spark creativity, bring release, and even fuel change. The workshop examined how poets across time have transformed strong emotions into art, connection, and solidarity, and included information about the Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate program.
Saturday, August 16, 7 pm: Poetry Reading: Celebrating the Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate Program:
In person at Woodland Pattern (720 E. Locust St)
This reading featured Angela Wang, 2025 MYPL Finalist Oscar Anwaatin O'Naughton-Whitefeather, and 2023 Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate Emily Igwike.
Saturday, August 16, 11:30 am: Community Arts & Funk Festival: Youth Poetry Slam at Peck Pavillion, Marcus Performing Arts Center (929 N. Water St.)
Led by current Milwaukee Poet Laureate Shelly Conley, the Youth Poetry Slam brought bold, brave voices to the forefront. Open to poets ages 10–17, the event offered youth a platform to share powerful, original poetry. Angela Wang, served as one of the judges.
Friday, June 27, Poetry Camp Week 1 Showcase: Angela read with the Week 1 cohort of Poetry Camp.
Sunday, June 1, Locust Street Fest: Angela assisted local artist Jackie Valadez in a community printmaking workshop.
Anglea assisting at a printing table during Locust Street Fest, June 1, 2025.
Watch the 2025 Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate competition
Featuring Angela Wang, reading with finalists Ilysium Nollie and Oscar Anwaatin O’Naughton-Whitefeather. The event also features appearances by Aleena Ahmed, the previous Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate, and Angie Trudell Vasquez, 2020–2022 Madison Poet Laureate. The MYPL contest was judged by 2025-2026 Milwaukee Poet Laureate, Shelly Conley; Founder and Artistic Director of My Sista’s KeepHer, Tina Nixon; and Poetry Editor of Cream City Review and PhD candidate in Creative Writing at UW-Milwaukee, Cass Bruner.
About the Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate Program
Established in 2022 by Woodland Pattern and Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly Hamilton—in partnership with Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee Public Schools, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Writing Project, and UWM's Graduate Program in Creative Writing—the Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate program is part of the national affiliation of Youth Poet Laureate programs, administrated by Urban Word.
Since its launch, this city-wide initiative has experienced undeniable success. Milwaukee’s first two laureates, Emily Igwike and Aleena Ahmed, placed first and second in the Midwest regionals in 2024, and Igwike competed for the title of National Youth Poet Laureate in 2025.
Not only are we proud of our inaugural laureates, but also of the ambitious scope of our program. Differentiating it from YPL programs in other cities, the Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate program offers a dedicated year-long mentorship for the laureate (and continued support after the laureate's tenure), holds workshops and open mics for Milwaukee teens, and provides curriculum support for public school teachers who wish to incorporate poetry in their classrooms.
Program Sponsors
Woodland Pattern is grateful to all who have sponsored this program. Sponsors for the inaugural cycle included the Academy of American Poets, Amazon Literary Partnership, the Friends of the Milwaukee Public Library, the Gardner Foundation, the Brandon Gelzer Memorial Fund at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the UWM Program in Creative Writing, and private donors.
We're grateful for the ongoing collaborative support from our partners, America SCORES Milwaukee, Cream City Review, Future Urban Leaders, Genre: Urban Arts, Indian Community School, Lyrical Sanctuary, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee Public Schools, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Writing Project, & WUWM 89.7 FM.
Despite a strong network of partnerships and sponsors, this program is growing and still in search of support to help it grow and thrive. If you’re looking to uplift youth in Milwaukee, please consider donating!
We acknowledge that in Milwaukee we live and work on traditional Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, and Menominee homelands along the southwest shores of Michigami, part of North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes, where the Milwaukee, Menominee, and Kinnickinnic rivers meet and the people of Wisconsin’s sovereign Anishinaabe, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Oneida, and Mohican nations remain present.
We further acknowledge the iniquity and suffering colonialism introduced to these lands through genocide and slavery, as well as through racist and xenophobic beliefs, laws, and practices that continue to inflict harm upon Black, brown, Indigenous, and immigrant lives. We honor those who have lived—and live now—at these intersections of identity and experience.
720 E. Locust Street
Milwaukee, WI 53212
Phone: 414 263 5001
Hours: Tues–Sun | 12-7 pm
Closed Mon
Building Accessibility: Despite the age of our physical location, and attendant limitations to access, Woodland Pattern is committed to making its programs and facilities available for as many as possible. Please call for more information.
Events Accessibility: Woodland Pattern is able to offer captioning services for its online events and with advanced notice can provide ASL interpretation for live events. Please contact us with accommodation requests and questions.
© Woodland Pattern 2026