The City of Mississauga will recognize its third Youth Poet Laureate in 2020. Submissions will be accepted between January 17 and March 1, 2020.

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The City of Mississauga is pleased to announce the Youth Poet Laureate for 2018-2020 is Pujita Verma. The role of the Youth Poet Laureate is to serve as a literary ambassador for youth in the City of Mississauga. Pujita will aim to elevate the status of poetry, literary arts and young writers through community youth poetry events and/or projects. The honorary position recognizes a young poet who writes excellent poetry or spoken word and has written on themes that are relevant to the citizens of Mississauga.

About Pujita Verma

Pujita Verma believes that poetry is a way in which we can cherish small miracles and keep moments alive forever. Her journey with poetry branches from an abiding interest in creative writing and the literary arts. When Pujita isn't writing or reciting, she's saving the planet, volunteering, or studying in her first year at the University of Western Ontario.

As Secretary for Ink Movement Mississauga, Pujita has volunteered for nearly two years to help make tools for self-expression more accessible for youth in the city. She has been a member of her school's Student Writer's Guild since 2014, performed at slams across the GTA, and is also a National Finalist for the 2018 Poetry In Voice Recitation Competition. Her work reflects mental well-being, life, the environment, and the miraculous nature of seemingly ordinary things. As the City of Mississauga's Youth Poet Laureate. Pujita strives to provide platforms through which youth can explore poetry, find their voices, and uncover their own creativity.