Monterey’s First Poet Laureate

College professor Daniel B. Summerhill has been appointed as the first Poet Laureate of Monterey County, starting a two-year term immediately.

“It is an honor to be chosen as the inaugural Poet Laureate of Monterey County, but it also comes with significant responsibility and urgency,” Summerhill stated. “I now have a specific obligation to the people of the county to utilize language as a tool for social action, community development, and truth-telling. I intend to use this same passion to increase exposure to poetry and build relationships with individuals who may not have experienced it before.”

Summerhill was chosen through a competitive selection process by a panel of literary experts, with the final decision approved by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. The Poet Laureate will receive a $2,500 honorarium for the two-year term, funded by the county.

This honorary position celebrates Monterey County’s cultural heritage and aims to promote literacy and literature among its residents. Summerhill will also spearhead a community project to enhance the accessibility of poetry.

“I am delighted that the County Board of Supervisors has endorsed this initiative to celebrate poetry in our community, and Daniel is the ideal candidate to inaugurate this position,” said Jacquie Atchison, executive director of Arts Council for Monterey County. “When he performs his poetry, he brings it to life — his words are impactful and stirring.”

Summerhill serves as a professor of poetry and social action and composition studies at California State University Monterey Bay. He has performed in over 30 states and the United Kingdom, and was invited by the U.S. Embassy to lecture and perform in South Africa.

He has received a Sharon Olds fellowship and a fellowship from the Watering Hole. His work has been featured in various publications, including Columbia Journal, Rust and Moth, Button Poetry, Anti-heroin Chic, The Hellebore, among others.

Summerhill’s poetry has garnered him two Pushcart nominations and a Best of the Net nomination.

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