Halifax’s Poet Laureate, Afua Cooper shares her aspirations for the role of poet laureate and discusses her poetic interests with fellow poet, Sue Goyette at the Halifax Central Library on January 24th, 2019.
Dr. Afua Cooper, cross-appointed to the Departments of History and Sociology & Social Anthropology and the most recent James R. Johnston Chair in Black Canadian Studies at Dalhousie University, has been named the new Poet Laureate for the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). She will serve in the role for a two-year term.
The Poet Laureate “serves as an ambassador and advocate for literacy, literature and the arts, and reflects the vitality of our community through appearances and readings of poetry at a number of civic events and other activities.”
In a news release, Mayor Mike Savage said: “We’re very pleased to appoint Dr. Cooper as our next Poet Laureate, a position which gives voice to the various groups that make up our community, through spoken and written words.”
Video © Paul Darrow – Darrow Multimedia
