Luis J. Rodríguez, Los Angeles Poet Laureate HD

In October 2014, Luis J. Rodríguez was named Los Angeles poet laureate, the city’s second person in this role. During his two-year term, he will be composing poems, hosting readings and workshops, and serving as a cultural ambassador. “Poetry is . . . a powerful means to enlarge one’s presence in the world,” says Rodríguez. After recovering from heroin addiction and overcoming gang violence, he became a strong advocate of poetry as a tool for social change. In his newly appointed role as poet laureate, he will be able to impact youth across Los Angeles at a much greater scale. Watch Rodríguez talk about his passion for the written word, the meaning of lyric expression, and the social value of poetry.