Proclamation
WHEREAS, the literary arts encompass the core of our community’s identity and vitality, and express the soul of our people. Embracing our literary arts within the community is essential for celebrating our culture; and
WHEREAS, poetic expression is an honored literary tradition that engages the community with feelings, thoughts and perspectives through artistic narratives. These elements embrace our joys, celebrations, pains, fears, and hopes; and
WHEREAS, a poet laureate is the symbol of how artistic and literary expression are at the heart of our community and shared experiences. This honored position that represents the collective voices of our writers, poets and greater citizenry; and
WHEREAS, a robust literary community remains vital to understanding the stories of our past and present with visions for our future. Capturing our stories, our experiences and our identities through poetry enables us to document this living history; and
WHEREAS, a literary city empowers all its citizens to embrace poetic expression in how we connect with one another. By doing so, we foster a dynamic, thriving city that is by, about and for the people;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Levar M. Stoney, Mayor of the City of Richmond, Virginia affirm the importance of selecting a
“Richmond Poet Laureate”
For the benefit of the City of Richmond and encourage residents of Richmond to embrace this opportunity to celebrate the literary arts locally.