David Perez Named Santa Clara County Poet Laureate
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF.—Today, the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors appointed David Perez to the honorary post of Santa Clara County Poet Laureate for a two year term (January 14, 2014 – December 21, 2015). Perez was recommended to the Board following the call for applications, and a two step review process organized by the County and Silicon Valley Creates.
“David Perez brings a wealth of creative experience to the post of PoetLaureate,” said County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith. “He will do a fine job in helping to make poetry accessible to the community.”
Perez is a poet, writer and educator. He is a professor of English at Ohlone College and has toured throughout the United States and Canada to give readings and book signings. He is the author of Love in a Time of Robot Apocalypse under Write Bloody Publishing, and his poem Surgir appears on the San Jose Mexican Heritage Plaza Founder’s Plaque.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to the Santa Clara Board of Supervisors and to Silicon Valley Creates for establishing the position of Poet Laureate. They have opened new opportunities to create and celebrate poetry,” said Perez. “I intend to help Santa Clara County’s poetic voices become more visible to the communities in which they belong in the hopes that poetry’s ability to help us connect, transform and heal might be more widely accessible.”
In July 2012, Perez was voted “Best Author in the Bay Area” in the San Francisco Bay Guardian’s annual readers’ poll. He also received the Arts Council Silicon Valley Fellowship for Literary Art in April 2011 for his contribution to empowering Silicon Valley communities through the arts.
“David Perez represents the remarkable energy, diversity and creativity of our region through his power of language,” said Connie Martinez, CEO of Silicon Valley Creates. “I look forward to experiencing his genuine ability to bring poetry to life for audiences of all kinds as our next Poet Laureate.”
Perez will take the two-year post in January 2014. He is the third poet laureate to be appointed by the County of Santa Clara. Nils Peterson was the County’s first Poet Laureate (2009-2011), and Sally Ashton served as the second Poet Laureate of Santa Clara County (2011-2013).
Perez holds a Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing from Goddard College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature from University of California, Santa Cruz.
And . . .Here I am with the new “PL” at the San Jose Museum of Art where he’ll be hosting this year’s Poetry Invitational on April 17th. Don’t miss it. This reading of poems based on current museum exhibits was launched by first Poet Laureate, Nils Peterson. It’s a fabulous tradition and is sure to be again this year.
Congratulations, David!
I’ll be making one last post here before handing off the blog to David so stay tuned, tell your friends, and follow that blog!
Yours in poetry~
Sally Ashton
Santa Clara County Poet Laureate
2011-2013
Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Blog 