Poetry Connection | Meet the New Santa Barbara County Youth Poet Laureate

Santa Barbara County has a new Youth Poet Laureate. Jasmine Guerrero Sevilla was raised in the Santa Ynez Valley with her twin sister and twin brothers. She recently graduated from Santa Ynez High School and this fall she will be a freshman at Sacramento State. Last week, she was inducted as Santa Barbara County’s Youth Poet Laureate and special guest interviewer, Cie Cumucio, who spoke with Sevilla. 

Cie Gumucio: How did you find out about the Youth Poet Laureate program? 

Jasmine Guerrero Sevilla: I found out about the Youth Poet Laureate position through my English teacher, Melanie Dickey. I was walking with my friends at lunch, I saw her bright smile, and she said she had something for me. Lo, and behold, it was a flier for the program and the workshop dates. I took it home, taped it on my wall along with another poetry flier my friends had given me from the school office, and I stared at both. I couldn’t believe my eyes, but I knew if this was meant to be, God would help me to it, and he did! I am very grateful for her and my friends who support my love for writing. 

Did you have some favorite high school activities and teachers? 

Playing basketball and music were my favorite activities in school. I did both for four years. Basketball is active, it’s fun, the family you make with the girls is beautiful. I will always love the team I was on. I hold a special place for them in my heart. Same with my band, I absolutely adore them. We were a small band, but we put in a lot of work to make it work. We shared many laughs and I felt very comfortable in that classroom. The work for both came with a very rewarding feeling. I had the most beautiful moments with both families. I have three favorite teachers. Melanie Dickey (English) [who told her about the Youth Poet Laureate opportunity],  Nicholas Virtue (Music), and Priya Jackson (Math). All three showed me how strong and smart I am. Mrs. Dickey showed me kindness and time punctuation and creativity. Mr. Virtue showed me that it’s okay to take a step back and process my emotions, he showed me how to be a leader. Mrs. Jackson showed me strength, diligence, and how to stand up for myself. Most importantly, they showed me love, care, and patience. Not a day goes by where I don’t think of them. They contributed to where I am now.  

What inspires you? 

The trees whose leaves blow in the wind, the rocks that turn into pebbles as you kick them walking down the street, the birds who drink water out of a fountain, horses galloping in the pastures, jellyfish peacefully swimming in the ocean, people sipping on coffee as they carelessly type away on their computer, the view I see of my dad when he enters our home after work, my younger twin brothers who I helped my mom raise; I could go on and on. This question can be very conflicting. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful question, but it’s complicated to answer. There’s not only one person or piece of nature that inspires me. So to answer your question, I’d have to say life. Everything I lay my eyes on gives me a purpose. A purpose to write, to talk to people, to spread joy. God gives me my purpose, the one who created life, and that’s how I know I belong, too.  

Who inspires you from a cultural perspective?

My grandpa. He is a musician and as far back as I can remember, I was playing music with him. He introduced me to the art of playing drums, piano, singing, accordion, bass, acoustic, electric guitar, percussion, etc. His determination and effort to achieve anything is incredibly inspiring. He is a ray of sunshine; I love my grandpa. No matter what might happen, he still chooses to spread love and make people happy. His humor is contagious. His ability to bring people together with food and music is so heartwarming. I look up to my grandpa. He taught me so much, including how to wrap a mini egg burrito.  

Why is poetry important to you? And to our society? 

Poetry is an art. It’s a creative escape and it holds power to your voice. Anyone can be capable of writing. It’s a beautiful tool to have. To speak to people, to say what you want to say is very powerful. Every voice is worth hearing. Poetry hits the heart in the right way. People can relate, they can feel seen, it helps bring people together, and that’s what we need. 

What do you hope to accomplish in your role as Youth Poet Laureate? 

       My main goal as Youth Poet Laureate is to spread peace and joy. I know that’s a very broad answer to some, but there’s not enough of it in our world. I want to be able to show God’s love to people when I speak to them, when they read or hear my writing. I want them to feel, not only to hear, but feel that what I am saying is real. Now, I have many other goals and hope to have many accomplishments as I go through workshops, readings, projects, etc., but I really do hope to accomplish giving people a sense of hope. There are many people every day who feel like giving up and who feel alone, but I want to help them feel seen and I know writing can do that.  

        What would you like people to know most about you? 

That I am human, too. I am someone who makes mistakes, who feels every emotion, who giggles at the most unfunny jokes, I am someone. I am someone who loves their family, who has gone through some events that I wish I did not have to go through, but everyone goes through something they wish they did not have to experience. The things we dislike and love are what make us human. Don’t forget that I am human too.  

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What we are 

By Jasmine Guerrero Sevilla, Santa Barbara CountyYouth Poet Laureate

I am a tree with fallen leaves  

I am a thick powerline firmly holding onto the next electric power pole 

I am a red car on the side of the road with no fuel 

I am a pebble that sits between the dirty blue ocean and the rest of the world  

I am the brown crunchy leaves people step on during the fall 

I am the rough winded strings on a cold guitar  

I am a teddy bear, still in that dusty old box 

I am a rock sinking in quicksand  

I am a broken plate on the floor 

Don’t forget we are human.

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On July 22, Jasmine read a poem for the Santa Ynez City Council as part of her formal induction. The Santa Barbara Youth Poet Laureate Program was established in 2021 by CalPoets in the Schools in partnership with Urban Word and sponsored by the SB County Office of Arts and Culture.  

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Upcoming Poetry Events:

August 4, Goleta Valley Library Series features Santa Barbara Poet Laureate Melinda Palacio, Santa Barbara’s new Youth Poet Laureate Jasmine Guerrero Sevilla, Soe Bender, and Ruben Lee Dalton, 2 p.m. 

August 9, Poet’s Perch at the Botanical Garden, an art installation by Colleen Kelly in honor of S.B. Poet Laureate Emerita, Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, 3-5 p.m.

August 10, Poetry Zone, Karpeles outside patio, 1:30 p.m., featured reader Keith Mar, hosted by Virginia Dale.

September 8, EP Foster Reading in Ventura, 6 p.m. with Lyz Merola, Kevin Patrick, Patti Sullivan and open mic.