Mississauga announces its third Youth Poet Laureate

The City of Mississauga recently announced that Qurat Dar will be its third Youth Poet Laureate for 2021-2023.

The role of the Youth Poet Laureate is to serve as a literary ambassador for youth in the City of Mississauga.

According to the city, the honorary position recognizes a young poet who writes excellent poetry or spoken word and has written on themes that are relevant to the citizens of Mississauga.

Dar, a spoken word artist, organizer, multi-genre writer and the 2020 Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS) National Champion, will serve as a literary ambassador for youth in the city. The city says she’ll also work to elevate the status of poetry, literary arts and young writers through community poetry events and projects.

She was also a 2019 recipient of the Ron Lenyk Inspiring Youth Arts Award and the 2018 Best of the Net finalist.

Her work has appeared in Canthius, Augur Magazine, Art Gallery of Mississauga and other places. She also has a poetry chapbook (a short collection of poems) in the works with Coven Editions.