SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA. — On November 3, the Board of Supervisors for the County of Santa Clara appointed Mountain View resident Devi S. Laskar to the honorary post of Santa Clara County Poet Laureate for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2027, and ending December 31, 2028. In this role, Laskar will help promote the art of poetry at local community events, including during National Poetry Month, represent the County of Santa Clara County through outreach related to poetry, and act as a resource for the Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD).
“Poets inspire us, giving voice to our deepest feelings, experiences, and imagination,” said County Librarian Jennifer Weeks. “The County Libraries look forward to hosting poetry and spoken word events by Devi, sharing her love of poetry and writing with patrons of all ages.”
Laskar, a daughter of immigrants and a native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has lived in Santa Clara County since 2012. She uses her love of language and learning to make art that tackles difficult subjects such as racism, misogyny, being invisible and being othered in America. Laskar is a novelist, poet, teacher, and community builder. She has led writing and literacy workshops for students of all ages at local and national venues including Los Altos High School, Rooted & Written, Kearny Street Workshop, and Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA) and has appeared at the San Jose Book Festival, South Asian Literature and Art Festival, and the Bay Area Book Festival.
Laskar was recommended to the Board following the call for applications, and a two-step review process organized by Silicon Valley Creates (SVCreates) and SCCLD.
“SVCreates is a proud partner in Santa Clara County's Poet Laureate program and has been since its inception. This is one of several SVCreates programs that highlight the importance of the arts in our community and works to ensure access to arts experiences for all in our county,” said Alexandra Urbanowski, Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Valley Creates. “We are thrilled that Devi S. Laskar has been selected this year to demonstrate the power of poetry and its relevance to contemporary lives.”
Laskar’s publications include the poetry collection Self-Portraits Ex Machina (2025), the spoken word album Particles of Speech (2026), poetry chapbooks Gas & Food, No Lodging (2017) and Anastasia Maps (2017), and novels The Atlas of Reds and Blues (2019), which won the Asian-Pacific American Award for Literature and the Crook's Corner Book Prize, Circa (2022), and Midnight, At the War (2026). Her second poetry collection, Aftermath, will be published by Finishing Line Press in May 2027. She earned a double B.A. in English and journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.A. in South and West Asian Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Columbia University.
Laskar is the ninth Poet Laureate to be appointed by the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors. Nils Peterson was the County’s first Poet Laureate (2009-11), followed by Sally Ashton (2012-13), David Perez (2014-15), Arlene Biala (2016-17), Mike McGee (2018-19), Janice Lobo Sapigao (2020-21), Tshaka Campbell (2022-23), and Yosimar Reyes (2024-26). SCCLD’s YouTube page has a selection of short videos, opens a new window featuring readings from past County Poet Laureates.
BACKGROUND
The Poet Laureate post was approved by the Board of Supervisors in November 2008 to elevate poetry among Santa Clara County residents and to help celebrate the literary arts. The Poet Laureate acts as a resource for poetry and literary activities to the Santa Clara County Library District, represents the County of Santa Clara through outreach related to poetry, conducts presentations of appropriate works at local events, and participates at activities to celebrate Poetry Month. The Poet Laureate will receive a modest honorarium. To learn more about the Poet Laureate program, go to sccld.org/poet/.
About Silicon Valley Creates
SVCREATES is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization working to elevate Silicon Valley’s creative culture and strengthen the region through the arts. SVCREATES is the designated state/local partner arts agency for Santa Clara County and the California Arts Council, builds the creative sector’s capacity, raises the voice and visibility of the creative sector, and increases access to arts and creativity for local residents. SVCREATES publishes Content Magazine.
To learn more about SVCREATES, visit www.svcreates.org.
About the Santa Clara County Library District
The Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) promotes knowledge, ideas, and cultural enrichment. Founded in 1914, its collection includes more than 2 million books, videos, audiobooks, eBooks and extensive online resources accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
SCCLD includes two bookmobiles, an online library, seven community libraries and one branch library, serving the cities of Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Saratoga, and the unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County.
Find the Santa Clara County Library District online: www.sccld.org. Like us on Facebook. Look for us on Instagram. We also are on Threads. You can also find us on YouTube: scclchannel or @SCCLD. Subscribe to our newsletter: https://sccld.org/news