The 2020’s Youth Poet Laureate Zoya Ahmed, a Maria Carrillo High School student, the first in Sonoma County, is first-generation American, with roots in Pakistan and India.

“This colorful heritage is her drive. Every day, Zoya is empowered to work hard towards achieving her goals, humbled by the opportunities she is given, and inspired to give back to the community. Her biggest motivators are her parents and her family, who encourage her each and every day. They are her muse; they symbolize the meaning of sacrifice in her life. Their stories, especially those of the women in Zoya’s family, are what give her writing a spark of creativity and perspective,” noted in the California Poets in the Schools website.

“Poetry gives me confidence and allows me to be more than just a person,” Ahmed said. “It allows me to embrace my individuality and heritage. It gives me a story.” Read more in the Bohemian.

The Sonoma County California Poets in the Schools aims to acknowledge a student who has achieved excellence in poetry between the ages of 13 and 19 and must be a Sonoma County resident. They should also have demonstrated their commitment to literacy arts and community engagement through participation in volunteer and community services, clubs, after school activities, and extra academic activities