Filipino-American Immigrant from Baguio City, named as Virginia’s new Poet Laureate
Luisa A. Igloria, an award-winning Filipina American poet and author who was originally from Baguio City, has been named the new Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
She was appointed as the 20th Poet Laureate of Virginia by Governor Ralph Northam and she has officially sworn in on July 29, 2020 at a virtual event. “It was a lovely surprise, and an incredible honor as I follow in the footsteps of many amazing poets,” she said at the live stream ceremony.
Igloria is currently a professor of English at Old Dominion University (ODU). According to ODU, Igloria has described the title as a “unique position for service and engagement through poetry.”
“I hope to have many conversations with others, and to find meaningful ways to support and promote the voices of Virginia poets in particular and the work of poets and poetry in general as an important part of living in these times.”
– Luisa A. Igloria, Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia
4th Poet of Color to Become the State’s Poet Laureate
Rita Dove, the first African-American Poet Laureate of Virginia and of the United States; Sofia Starnes, who is of Spanish and Filipino ancestry; and Tim Seibles, a retired faculty member from Old Dominion University; poets of color who became the state’s poet laureate.
Following their steps, Luisa Igloria has become the fourth poet of color to gain the position of Virginia’s Poet Laureate.
“As an immigrant, I am proud to increase the number of poets of color who have been appointed to this distinguished position. I feel this is a significant indicator of important changes manifesting across the country that have to do with the reevaluation of history and the place that marginalized communities have been accorded in it.”
– Luisa A. Igloria, Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia
About the Virginia Poet Laureate Position
According to The Library of Congress, the honorary position of Poet Laureate of Virginia has been established on December 18, 1936, and beginning in 1998, the Governor may appoint a poet laureate from a list of nominees submitted by the Poetry Society of Virginia.
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