Birmingham Poet Laureate Salaam Green Launches Poet Fellowship Initiative in Partnership with BPL, Create Birmingham

City of Birmingham Poet Laureate Salaam Green and the Birmingham Public Library have announced the 2024 Summer Poet Fellowship. Selected fellows will work with BPL to facilitate poetry programming in support of literacy and summer reading initiatives. (Adobe Stock)
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Birmingham Public Library

City of Birmingham Poet Laureate Salaam Green and the Birmingham Public Library are thrilled to announce the 2024 Summer Poet Fellowship. This initiative is a partnership between City of Birmingham Poet Laureate, BPL, and Create Birmingham. Selected fellows will work with two BPL locations to facilitate poetry programming in support of literacy and summer reading initiatives.

“BPL is excited to be a part of this amazing initiative, as we strive uphold our mission to provide the highest quality experience to our community for lifelong learning, cultural enrichment and enjoyment,” said Birmingham Public Library- Public Service Regional Manager, Bessie Miller.

Green has nominated Karima Moore to serve as the inaugural Youth Poet Fellow and Maati Sanovia to serve as the inaugural Adult Poet Fellow. Both will work with the Birmingham Public Library to facilitate poetry programming this summer.

Fellows will receive a $500.00 honorarium that will be administered by Create Birmingham.

Youth Poet Fellow, Karima Moor

Youth Poet Fellow, Karima Moor is a Birmingham native who’s always loved writing but didn’t start writing poetry until the age of 18. In 2021, Karima recited her self-authored poem, “Unity,” at the 30th Inauguration of Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin.

“This nomination means a lot to me. I am excited to bring light and joy to the arts in my City,” said Moor. “It is a huge opportunity, and I don’t take it lightly.”

Moor worked with Birmingham Public Library’s Summer STEAMER Camp. The camp that took place at BPL’s Central Library provided elementary students with interdisciplinary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) curriculum, in an effort to reverse summer learning loss.

Taught by Better Basics certified teachers at Birmingham Public Library, children increase their skills in both reading and mathematics. Each summer a theme is chosen and different activities are completed to align with the topic. Students complete a variety of STEAM activities that tie to the novels they read through the reading aspect of the program.

Adult Poet Fellow Maati Sanovia

Maati Sanovia will serve as the Adult Poet Fellow, and is an Experienced-Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT), Retired Registered Nurse, Published Author of “A Journey to Forgiveness, Disowning 3 Generations of Violence,” Community Activist and Poet.

She is the Creator of MaYoni ‘aT Womb Yoga, a sequence that grew out of her work with her daughter in the Ancient Art of Yoni Steaming, through the Yoni Steam Institute. On the path of living Maat, Maati Sanovia’s journey is one of peace, offering a balanced, compassionate, reciprocal and harmonious way of being to all.

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