The inauguration celebration for Joyce Dale as Merced’s first poet laureate is set for 3 p..m. Saturday, May 31 at the Merced Multicultural Arts Center, 645 W. Main St. in Merced.
According to a news release, the red-carpet event will include a light reception and a performance by Laura Porter, principal harpist with the Fresno Philharmonic.
In addition to poetry by Dale, there will be performances by Fresno Poet Laureate Aideed Medina, Modesto Poet Laureate Angela Drew, Stanislaus County Youth Poet Laureate Faith Delgado and Lady K, 2025 Grand Slam Champion for Loudmouth Poetry Slam team in Visalia.
The Saint Matthew Baptist Church Choir is also scheduled to perform.
Dale will hold the title of Merced poet laureate for two years. She was interviewed last month by The Merced FOCUS, prior to her being named to the role by Merced Mayor Matt Serratto.
She told The FOCUS she draws inspiration from famous poets like Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes and Helen Steiner Rice, but she credits emerging voices as her biggest source of inspiration.
For instance, she has mentored incarcerated women at Central California Women’s Facility and men at Valley State Prison who were writing poetry for the first time.
Dale has published five poetry anthologies in the past two decades. Among those works, “In Jesus’ Name, Amen” and “Upon These Shoulders” were published in 2008; “Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Friends” was published in 2012; “Memories of Betrayals” was published in 2018; and “Walk This Way” was published in 2019.
Readers can find Dale’s poetry on her website at Poetically Yours.
For more information about the celebration of Joyce Dale as Merced’s first poet laureate, please contact the Merced Poet Laureate Committee at 209-761-9256.