Fête for Justice Poet: Trapeta B. Mayson, 2020-21 Philadelphia Poet Laureate

(April 22, 2022)

We are excited to announce Trapeta B. Mayson, Poet Laureate of Philadelphia from 2020-21, as our Fête for Justice Poet!

Mayson is the founder of Healing Verse Philly (scroll down for more information), which includes the Healing Verse Phone Line, a hallmark project of her poet laureate tenure. Mayson is a Pew, Academy of American Poets, and Aspen Word Fellow. She is also a Leeway Transformation, Leeway Art and Change, and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts awardee.

She is the author of She Was Once Herself and Mocha Melodies. Mayson also released two music and poetry projects, SCAT and This Is How We Get Through, in collaboration with internationally acclaimed jazz guitarist, Monnette Sudler.

Her other publications include submissions in The American Poetry Review, Toho Journal, Epiphany Literary Journal, and Aesthetica Magazine, among others.

Mayson’s artistic practice is embedded in community work. Through her artistic residencies, she has created and led projects in partnership with several institutions. As an educator and teaching artist, she develops and facilitates workshops in educational, social services, and other community-based settings for youth and adults.

Healing Verse Poetry Line

Kindness Lives Here

Her "Kindness Lives Here" #PAKindnessPoem is featured on Facebook and YouTube, or read it here. The 2021 Kindness Poem Project was sponsored by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, an independent partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities and part of a network of 56 state humanities councils that spans the nation and U.S. jurisdictions.

Further reading

2022 Fete for JusticeMarion Fraleygala, poet, poet laureate, fete, fete poet