Bill Churchill: Poet Laureate of Ukiah 2014–2016

At the Ukiah City Council meeting on Wednesday, June 4, at 6:00 PM
Bill Churchill will be officially proclaimed Poet Laureate of Ukiah
for a two year term, 2014-2016
The public is is invited to attend this brief ceremony
The Council meets at the Ukiah Civic Center, 300 Seminary Ave., Ukiah

The Ukiah Poet Laureate Committee is pleased to announce the selection of a new poet laureate, Jabez William Churchill. A long-time Ukiah resident, Bill was born in Northern California and educated in Argentina, California, and Cuba. He currently teaches modern languages at Santa Rosa Junior College and Mendocino College. He has been a California Poet in the Public Schools since 1998, predominantly with bilingual youth and youth at risk. His poetry, in both English and Spanish, has been widely published in journals and anthologies. His books include: SONG OF SEASONS, (Small Poetry Press), CONTROLLED BURN (Small Poetry Press), DURMIENDO CON FANTASMAS/SLEEPING WITH GHOSTS (Kulupi Press) and EL VELO/THE VEIL (Kulupi Press).

Bill is the sixth Poet Laureate of Ukiah since the program was established in 2001. Previous  Poets Laureate of Ukiah have been: Armand Brint, Linda Noel, David Smith-Ferri, Theresa Whitehill, and Dan Barth. The Poet Laureate of Ukiah serves educational and ceremonial roles for the purpose of heightening public awareness about the benefits of poetry in the Ukiah community. The position underscores the importance the City of Ukiah places on the arts as an integral part of a dynamic, healthy community. One important aspect of the program is to help demystify poetry—to expose more people, more often, to the joys and benefits of reading and writing verse.

Poets Laureate Current and Emeritus, City of Ukiah
Bill Churchill, 2014 – 2016
Dan Barth, 2012 – 2014
Theresa Whitehill, 2009 – 2011
David Smith-Ferri, 2006 – 2009
Linda Noel, 2004 – 2006
Armand Brint, 2001 – 2004
– For information about the Ukiah Poet Laureate program, write to P.O. Box 865, Ukiah, CA 95482; for information on the ukiaHaiku Festival, visit ukiaHaiku.org

Poets Laureate Current and Emeritus, Lake County
Casey Carney – 2014-2015
Elaine Watt – 2012-2013
Russell Reza-Khaliq Gonzaga – 2010-2011
Mary McMillan – 2008-2009
Sandra Wade – 2006-2007
Carolyn Wing-Greenlee – 2004-2005
James BlueWolf – 2000-2002
Jim Lyle – 1998-1999