Aisha Rivera has been selected as Napa County poet laureate for 2023-25 by the county’s Board of Supervisors.
As an ambassador for poetry, Rivera will “promote poetry, strive to forge a meaningful connection with the community, and undertake projects that make poetry more available and more accessible to people in their everyday lives,” according to a county announcement.
“I have a passion for poetry, but also for diversity and giving back to my community,” Rivera said in a news release. “I believe that poetry can be a powerful tool to not only move us emotionally but illuminate topics that we may otherwise not talk about.”
Rivera graduated from California State University, Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and theater art, and attended Napa Valley College, earning associate degrees in psychology and natural science and mathematics.
Rivera currently serves as a board member for Arts Council Napa Valley and has experience as a social justice educator at LGBTQ Resource Center. Rivera replaces Marianne Lyon, who served in the honorary volunteer role from 2021-23.