Spoken word artist Christie Lee Charles was officially appointed as Vancouver's fifth poet laureate at city hall today.
"It's a great honour for me to step into this role and to not just represent myself as the Vancouver poet laureate but also to stand with my people in this time of reconciliation to share our stories," says Charles. "I'm super excited."
Photo City of Vancouver
Mayor Gregor Robertson says she will host live performance events and "will also translate submitted poetic writings into Halkomelem, the Musqueam dialect for a unique publication that she will create during her tenure as legacy for future generations."
Charles is Vancouver's first Indigenous poet laureate of Musqueam with lineage to Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish nations. Her focus growing up in a world of music has been on hip hop and rap but she's also an experienced storyteller, poet, coastal hand drum singer, filmmaker, and a speaker for her ancestors.
“With deep roots in the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, Miss Christie Lee’s inspiring poetry will propel Vancouver forward as a City of Reconciliation and help build greater awareness, respect and understanding for Indigenous arts and culture," says Robertson.
City council established the poet laureate position in December 2006 and it is funded by an endowment from Dr. Yosef Wosk. The city's previous poet laureate is Rachel Rose.
The program is a partnership between the Vancouver Public Library, City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Writers Fest. The poet laureate has a flexible term of two to three years.
