WordPlay Cincy Announces Uche Uwaezuoke as 2026–2027 Cincinnati Youth Poet Laureate

WordPlay Cincy is delighted to announce Uche Uwaezuoke as the 2026–2027 Youth Poet Laureate of Cincinnati. A rising senior at Fairfield Senior High School, Uwaezuoke becomes the fourth young poet to hold this esteemed title, following the inspiring tenure of Emilia (Mia) Watka.

Selected from a highly competitive pool of talented young writers, Uwaezuoke's submission was chosen for its clarity, compassion, and deep commitment to civic engagement through poetry. His selection was made by a panel of experts in creative youth development, literary arts, education, and community engagement.

Uwaezuoke's accomplishments are impressive. He is a 4x Gold Key and 2x Silver Key winner in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, earning a National Silver Medal in the top 2% nationally across Poetry, Short Story, and Critical Essay. He was named an At-Large Semifinalist for the Princeton Prize in Race Relations and a Semifinalist for the National Student Poets Program. His writing has been published in Channel Kindness (Born This Way Foundation), Youth X Youth, and East Fork Journal. Beyond the page, he founded the Let's Listen Project, organizing listening sessions for residents at local retirement and nursing homes, and serves in leadership roles with YLA Youth & Government, Agents of Change, Project Unloaded, and the Ohio Youth Led Prevention Network.

Reflecting on the honor, Uwaezuoke points back to the experience that shapes his approach to poetry: a student at the school where he volunteers, eager every week to share a new story. That instinct to listen is at the heart of why he wanted this role — as he wrote in his application, he hopes to make sure people know "their stories matter, no matter how small they seem." As Youth Poet Laureate, Uwaezuoke plans to extend that same attentiveness to Cincinnati, using poetry to create space for voices that are often overlooked.