The 2023 Youth Poet Laureate Ribka, provides aspiring poets with invaluable advice for a successful career in writing and performing poetry.

Poetry Pro-Tip #1:

Poetry Pro-Tip #2:

Ribka Desta is Arlington County, Virginia’s 2023 Youth Poet Laureate. The Youth Poet Laureate (YPL) Program is a joint program of Urban Word NYC and Words, Beats & Life, Inc., with support from local government & partnering organizations, which aims to identify young writers and leaders who are committed to civic & community engagement, artistic excellence, human relations, youth activism, diversity, and education across the region.

Learn more poetry tips and see how WBL has helped these aspiring poets grow their skills.

Our FREE academy classes for ages 12 to 22 provide the opportunity to excel in their education and pursue their passions with the help of our principal artists and industry leaders. Our culturally relevant curriculum engages students through hip-hop arts and history, building skills across multiple disciplines. Our classes help launch careers and students get to work with poetry experts like Patrick Washington! You can read more about Washington’s career as a world-renowned poet in this exclusive interview.