Mayor Wu Announces Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah as Boston's Next Poet Laureate

On April 16, 2025, the Boston School Committee voted unanimously to approve a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Boston Teachers Union (BTU), allowing the district to continue to build and deliver on the promise of a High-Quality Student Experience for every student in Boston.

Mayor Wu Announces Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah as Boston's Next Poet Laureate

Local poet and BPS librarian to lead public poetry programs citywide, championing literary arts and youth engagement across Boston as fourth Poet Laureate.

BOSTON, MA - Wednesday, April 16, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture announced that Ghanaian American poet, editor, and educator Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah will serve as Boston’s next Poet Laureate. Oppong-Yeboah will officially assume the role in July 2025 and serve until July 2029. Established in 2008, the Boston Poet Laureate Program has been a cornerstone of Boston’s creative sector, drawing residents into the rich and transformative world of the literary arts. It is a ceremonial appointment with a term of four years.

“I'm honored to announce Emmanuel as Boston’s next Poet Laureate. Their voice, vision, and deep commitment to community will inspire and amplify our city’s voices over the next four years,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “In a time where we need to challenge, uplift, and connect, I'm proud to know that Emmanuel will carry out this role with care for our communities.”

“I am very excited to serve the City of Boston in this role,” said Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah. “In so much of life I feel a profound sense of indebtedness to those who have done the work before me. No less so here. Boston's two most recent poet laureates, Porsha Olayiwola and Danielle Georges, have created so much space in this city for the flourishing of poetry and poets, and I am grateful to them and eager to expand on their work.”’

Oppong-Yeboah grew up in Boston and holds the city close to their heart. They are currently a BPS educator working as a school librarian at the Joseph Lee School in Dorchester. For six years, they taught 11th grade English at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, and prior to that served as a teaching artist for 10 years at organizations throughout Boston, including the Massachusetts Literary Education and Performance Collective, the Cambridge Arts Council, Northeastern University, and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. Emmanuel’s poem, “kra-din” (Kweli Journal), is a past recipient of the Pushcart Prize (XLIII).

“We are thrilled that Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah, a beloved member of our BPS community, has been named Boston’s next Poet Laureate,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. “As a school librarian at the Lee K-8 School, Emmanuel nurtures curiosity, creativity, and a deep love for words in our students every day. Their passion for poetry and education exemplifies the transformative power of the arts in young people’s lives. We are proud to see a BPS educator in this role and excited for the inspiration they will spark across our city.”

Oppong-Yeboah will be Boston’s fourth poet laureate, following Porsha Olayiwola, Danielle Legros Georges, and Sam Cornish, all of whom helped elevate the city’s poetry scene. Oppong-Yeboah is committed to expanding on their legacies by fostering new opportunities for poets of all ages to thrive.

For Oppong-Yeboah, working with young people in the city where they were raised is especially meaningful and a source of personal joy. They hope to use this role to bring people together to build connections and provide resources to support poets and the organizations that make space for them.

They plan to work with the Boston Youth Poet Laureate on initiatives that activate the youth poetry scene in Boston; transform community spaces in Boston Public Libraries to host all-ages open-mics and draw engagement from BPS school communities nearby these library sites; partner with Boston’s School Libraries to connect Boston-area students to living poets; and host a contest that invites local poets to engage in writing based on Boston Public Library’s archives.

Applications for the role were reviewed by a Selection Panel consisting of a distinguished group of local literary professionals. The Selection Panel evaluated all entries and held interviews with the final candidates.

“The Selection Committee was impressed by both Emmanuel’s creative work, but equally his balanced thoughtful intentionality; he will bring to this role a deep appreciation of community engagement; and his skills and connections as an educator; and a passion for mentoring our young people in their creative endeavors,” said David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library.

Oppong-Yeboah’s upcoming events include co-leading an open mic and poetry slam on April 18 and May 2 with poet Crystal Valentine at Just Book-ish in Fields Corner, Dorchester (1st and 3rd Friday of every month). Additionally, they will be doing a feature performance on Wednesday, April 23, at the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge, home of the Boston Poetry Slam.

To learn more about the Boston Poet Laureate Program, visit www.boston.gov/poetry.

< Back to the Newsroom

Home

hero-banner

Great Starts: Your BPS Journey Begins Here!

Boston Public Schools is excited to introduce Great Starts, a new and simplified platform designed to make pre-registration easier and more accessible for families.

Key Dates
Learn More

Key Dates

Learn More

BPS Stories

BPS Staff members are dedicated to providing every student a high-quality, equitable educational experience. Watch staff members explain why they do so, in their own words, in the videos below.

Mariana Tobón

Jermaine Tulloch

Sugeily Santos

Upcoming Events

DISTRICT

DISTRICT

Apr18Friday

Good Friday

all day

Apr21Monday

Patriots' Day

all day

Apr22Tuesday - Apr25Friday

Spring Recess

all day

Apr23Wednesday - Apr25Friday

Spring Recess

all day

Apr24Thursday - Apr25Friday

Spring Recess

all day

Apr25Friday

Spring Recess

all day

May 1Thursday

OAG Task Force Meeting (in-person)

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, 2300 Washington St, Roxbury, MA 02119, USA

May14Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

May26Monday

Memorial Day

all day

May28Wednesday

Boston School Committee Retreat

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Jun 5Thursday

OAG Task Force Meeting (in-person)

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, 2300 Washington St, Roxbury, MA 02119, USA

Jun 6Friday

Last Day for Seniors

all day

Jun11Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting(Hybrid)

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Jun19Thursday

Juneteenth

all day

Jun20Friday

Early Release for Students

all day

Jun23Monday

Last Day of School*

all day

Jul 9Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting(Virtual)

5:30 PM - 10:30 PM

Sep10Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting(Hybrid)

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Oct 8Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting(Hybrid)

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Oct29Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting(Hybrid)

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Nov 5Wednesday

Boston School Committee Retreat

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Nov19Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting(Hybrid)

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Dec 3Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting(Hybrid)

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Dec17Wednesday

Boston School Committee Meeting(Hybrid)

6:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Who We Are

Discover our story! Explore the heart of BPS through videos, photos, and stories that showcase our schools, students, and staff and how we aim to inspire excellence, uplift diversity, and prepare every student for a bright future.

Boston School Committee Votes to Approve Three-Year Collective Bargaining Agreement with Boston Teachers Union

Mayor Wu Announces Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah as Boston's Next Poet Laureate

Red Sox and JetBlue Distribute Over 40,000 Baseball Hats to Boston Public Schools Students and Staff

BPS at a Glance

Boston Public Schools is the birthplace of public education in the United States, deeply committed to transforming the lives of all children through exemplary teaching in welcoming schools that embrace and uplift diversity. Through collaboration and partnership, we aim to support each student in developing the knowledge, skills, and character to excel in college, career, and life.

119

Schools

48,593

Students

11,720

Employees

10

Languages Spoken

750

Buses

50,000

Meals Served Daily

20

Hub Schools

$1.5 Billion

Budget

Home

Mayor Wu Announces BPS Librarian Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah as Boston's Next Poet Laureate

Red Sox and JetBlue Distribute Over 40,000 Baseball Hats to Boston Public Schools Students and Staff

BPS Health and Wellness YAB Member Hosts Read-Aloud Event

2025-2026 School Year Calendar Now Available

119

48,593

11,720

10

750

50,000

20

$1.5 Billion