Photography courtesy of city of Dallas.
Hockaday freshman Naisha Randhar recently became the city’s next Youth Poet Laureate, part of an initiative to foster youth poetry.
Mayor Eric Johnson announced Mag Gabbert as the city’s second Poet Laureate alongside Randhar in a special ceremony on Wednesday, May 1. Randhar’s one-year term comes with a $1,000 scholarship, and her work and photo will be exhibited in all Dallas Public Libraries during her tenure.
“Being called the Youth Poet Laureate has opened so many doors for me,” Randhar said. “From here on out, any opportunity I happen to be presented with is a gift, but it’s my responsibility to continue to seek them out and utilize this platform to connect with all people, especially youth. I want to introduce poetry as a possibility to young people, because there are so many kids who just haven’t thought about it, especially with the way poetry is taught in schools – through mostly white, male poets, and like a riddle to be solved. I believe that poetry can still be at the forefront of today’s world, especially with the struggles we’re facing, and will be a source of healing and hope for everyone, but especially for my, and younger, generations.”
As part of her role, Randhar will create a promotional video for Express Yourself! Youth Poetry Competition to inspire student submissions and conduct at least one speaking engagement between May and August, engaging with elementary schools about the poetry competition.
All applicants were required to be at least 15 years old and submit five original poems, including one with a Dallas theme.
Randhar received the good news at the end of March and was selected as a finalist and then soon after, got the official news she would be honored with the role.
“I checked my email almost every hour, sometimes every half hour, and Sunday night, I finally got the news. I screamed, over and over again, probably enough to concern the neighbors, and jumped up and down so that the entire house could have heard the thudding. Though it was midnight, so when I shot down the stairs and shook my Dad awake, shining my phone’s flashlight in his face, he awoke like a zombie. All I had to say was, “I got it”, and then we were both screaming and hugging, and then my mom was awake, and she was screaming and hugging, and then my dog was awake, and she was freaking out. It was a very emotional, exhilarating moment, and it resulted in one of the happiest days of my life. Honestly, to this day, sometimes I just have to close my eyes and soak it in, because I still can’t believe it happened.”
Randhar has been writing poetry since she was seven, and in seventh grade, she wrote her first book “Roses of Arma,” following two young heroes who face a prophecy to battle evil and save their world’s magic. The book was inspired by Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series.
Last year, she made one of her New Year’s Resolutions as Dallas’ next Youth Poet Laureate.
“For years, I’ve been writing alone in my bedroom,” Randhar said. “Not in a depressing way, but that’s the truth. And while there was something special and intimate about writing poetry in solitude, it’s a different kind of insanity to gain recognition for something so personal to me. It feels surreal that anybody could want to read my high-school words, ones that have been pillars of my life for so long, but now harbor the potential to be important to someone else’s. Not only does the recognition feel gratifying, but the possibility to show Dallas youth that they too can call themselves writers and express themselves, to show them that their voices are all absolutely necessary, is a platform that means the world to me.”
