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Oakland Poet Laureate Tag

Portrait Collage of Chapter 510/ Oak Library teens

I started working with Chapter 510 who commissioned the above portraits in 2014 maybe. Maybe earlier but they were one of the first organizations (Janet, Mariah, and Erica) who loved my work, approached me to work with them and illustrate portraits, characters, and more for their website, marketing materials, etc. The above portraits were done in collaboration with the Oakland Public Library over the span of many years.

Chapter 510 is an incredible organixation, similar to 826 Valencia in SF where they cultivate, nourish, and feed young writers, poets, and storytellers with classes, workshops, opportunities to publish, events, slams, readings, and more. Couple that with Oakland Public Library who offers a wealth of knowledge, stories, resources, entertainment, and community space and you havee a powerful combo.

I just wanted to share a collage looking back over the years of some of these poets!

These are some moments of action at Chapter 510.

Here’s one more portrait of a young poet named Greer.

Dig this? Check out some ink drawings I did of some writers at Chapter 510, or the artwork I did for the Oakland Public Library summer reading series.

February 11, 2025
in General, Ilustration
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Chapter 510 Poet – Samuel

Yo, just finished painting this for Ch510. This Friday September 6-9pm come through to Chapter 510 to meet and hear this young brother spit. Here is the event LINK.
And more info:
This year’s Laureate Samuel Getachew was recently deemed the “Freshest new poet in the town” by the East Bay Express and held well-deserved space on the cover!  Samuel was also featured in Black Joy; An Anthology of Black Boy Poems (Nomadic Press) as part of our 2019 Black Joy workshop. 
Doors open at 6pm.
Reading at 7pm.
Open mic at 7:30.
Featured poets (so far):
Siara Edmond, 2019 Finalist
Greer Nakadegawa-Lee, 2019 Finalist
Lizette Navarro, 2017 and 2019 Finalist
Darien Em, 2018 and 2019 Finalist
Eleanor Wikstrom, 2019 Vice Laureate
Samuel Getachew, 2019 Laureate



To see the previous Chapter 510/Oak Poet Laureate:

September 5, 2019
in General
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Chapter 510 Poet – Lucy

Hello folks, happy new year again. I just got a chance to paint to another portrait of a young poet in Oakland for Chapter 510 and Oakland Public library. Hope you like it. The first image is the final design, the second is of the poet performing this past friday at Chapter 510 alongside some young poets. And the last is a final image. Follow them on Instagram.

January 6, 2018
in General
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Tova Ricardo-Chapter 510

Woah!!!This is my sixth portrait illustration (youth poet poster) of an Oakland Youth Poet for Chapter 510. I painted the youth Poets in 2014 and one in 2015. Can’t believe I’ve been so fortunate to work on these. It is truly a blessing to create artwork that is about the poets. Because each one of them has a voice, individual style, and something strong to say; they were chosen as Poet Laureate’s of Oakland. As a collaboration between Youth Speaks, the Oakland Public Library, and Chapter 510 it is dope to see youth from many different backgrounds and poetry styles up there. Who knows what young person is seeing a reflection of their face or life through them? This is a shot of Tova Ricardo holding the poster i illustrated of her. 

Check out the  510 Journal which features the poetry of youth from the many programs that Chapter 510 holds to encourage and support creative writing in this city. 

April 13, 2016
in General
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Portrait for Chapter 510- Sophie Elkin

Heres a portrait I painted of Oakland’s Poet Laurete 2014 Sophie Elkin. It is the fifth portrait of an Oakland youth poet that I’ve created for 510 Journal, a project created for Chapter 510 to exhibit and show young peoples creative writing all over Oakland. If you’re in the Bay Area tomorrow, you can listen to her reading some of her work at Pegasus Books (5560 College Ave in Oakland) on Wednesday, February 25 7:30-9pm

February 25, 2015
in General
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