First Youth Poet Laureate in San Mateo County

Daly City Public Library Associates (DCPLA) has launched the Daly City Youth Poet Laureate program, the first such program in all of San Mateo County, in partnership with the National Youth Poet Laureate Program by Urban Word, Daly City Public Library, and PVF.

PVF previously supported DCPLA last summer with a $3,000 grant to to help purchase Chromebooks and Wi-Fi hotspots for families to check out. We were proud to continue our support by sponsoring a $5,000 award to accompany the honor of being named Youth Poet Laureate.

Madeleine Hur, 16, was announced the Inaugural Youth Poet Laureate of the City of Daly City and became the first youth poet laureate in San Mateo County. The program celebrates teen poets ages 13-18 who live or attend school in Daly City, and exhibit a commitment to artistic excellence, civic engagement, leadership, and social justice.

Hur was chosen for “for [her] strong poetic voice, performance experience and service to the community,” according to San Mateo County Poet Laureate Aileen Cassinetto. “Although it is a little bit intimidating to be the first youth poet laureate in San Mateo County, I now know that this is something I can do to contribute to the various movements for change and equality, and it is extremely empowering,” Hur said.

She will represent Daly City at community events between May 2021 and May 2022, serving as an ambassador and champion of the literary arts, community engagement and youth empowerment. “Our Daly City Youth Poet Laureate, Madeleine, is already making us very proud. She’s exactly what we had in mind; well-spoken, responsive, and enthusiastic about her role. We’ve gotten a great response from the community about bringing this program to our youth, and we’re very appreciative of Philanthropic Venture Foundation’s support!” – Victoria Magbilang, Executive Director, Daly City Public Library Associates

Hur says “With the prize, I will be allocating it towards my college fund, where I hope to major in political science. I will also be using a portion of the money to fund a trip to Korea to teach at an elementary school. This experience has pushed me to become more involved in activism and social justice, and I will continue this passion far beyond high school. I cannot thank you enough for your support.”