Mayor Karen Bass announced on April 29, 2026 that Brian Sonia-Wallace will be Los Angeles’ Poet Laureate, marking a new chapter in one of the City’s most distinguished literary programs.
A nationally-recognized poet, Sonia-Wallace is known for composing spontaneous poems on his 1938 Remington typewriter, transforming everyday spaces into sites of creativity and connection.
A graduate of Culver City High School, Sonia-Wallace was also the Poet Laureate of West Hollywood from 202o to 2023.
“Poetry belongs to every Angeleno, and Brian Sonia-Wallace has a remarkable gift for bringing people together through its power,” said Mayor Bass. “I am proud to name him our next Poet Laureate and look forward to the inspiration and connection he will foster across the many communities that make up our great city.”
The Poet Laureate post for the City of Los Angeles is a one-year appointment.
“My guiding vision is simple: a Poetry City, where every neighborhood has access to poetry as connective tissue,” said Poet Laureate Brian Sonia-Wallace. “L.A. is full of poets! Why shouldn’t every coffee shop and bookstore have a poet-in-residence? There’s the possibility in this role to create a blueprint for that enduring ecosystem.”
This announcement marks the 30th annual celebration of National Poetry Month.
