New Youth Poet Laureate recites poetry at City Hall ceremony
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New Youth Poet Laureate recites poetry at City Hall ceremony
Jan Ransom
Mayor Nutter named Siduri Beckman, a student at Masterman, Youth poet Laureate today in City Hall. Check out today's story here and a look into Philadelphia’s poetry scene.
The current Poet Laureate Sonia Sanchez shared a poem directed toward Beckman and runner-up Jaya Montague at the announcement and got a bit choked-up.
“I hold my hands out to you…two hands giving transfusion of life. Thank you for gracing the earth with your beautiful young words…” Sanchez said.
Sanchez said she had a hard time choosing between the two young ladies for the top spot and will invite them both to work with her throughout the year. Their first job will be opening a show for Sanchez at the University of Pennsylvania in two weeks.
Check out the video below of Beckman reciting her poetry at the announcement ceremony.
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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