By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–The City of San Diego’s Poet Laureate Jason Magabo Perez is set to culminate his transformative two-year tenure this month with San Diego Poetry Futures 2024 Coda (SDPF24 Coda), a free, community-centered poetry festival celebrating the power of words to inspire and connect.
The event, which will be held on December 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the U C San Diego (UCSD) Cross-Cultural Center, promises an engaging day of poetry readings, creative workshops, and cultural exchange.
As the peak of Perez’s tenure, this festival is a testament to his commitment to poetry as an empowerment and community-building tool.
“A coda typically signals an end, a conclusion, or an epilogue,” said Jason Magabo Perez, San Diego Poet Laureate. “For me, this festival is not just the culmination of my tenure but a new beginning for San Diego’s thriving poetry community. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the stories, histories and futures of our city’s diverse communities, showcasing the transformative power of poetry to inspire, connect and build a shared vision for what lies ahead.”
Since becoming San Diego’s second Poet Laureate in January 2023, Perez has championed poetry as an empowerment and community-building tool, using his platform to amplify diverse voices and create inclusive spaces for expression. He led poetry workshops, hosted readings, attended community events and collaborated with local organizations to amplify diverse voices and foster a deeper appreciation for poetry across the city.
SDPF24 Coda offers a rich lineup of activities, including poetry readings, interactive creative writing workshops, a zine-making lab, a poetry reading room, a special awards ceremony hosted by Poets Underground and a book fair featuring local literary organizations. The festival will then wrap up in a closing session with California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick, former Santa Clara County Poet Laureate Janice Lobo Sapigao, and Perez.
“Our San Diego Poet Laureate’s final festival celebrates the diversity of voices that define our city,” said Jonathon Glus, Director for the Department of Cultural Affairs. “Jason Magabo Perez’s work over the past two years has demonstrated the transformative power of poetry—not only as a form of creative expression but as a tool for connection, empowerment and dialogue. This festival is a culmination of his dedication to fostering intergenerational and inclusive spaces, and I encourage all San Diegans to experience this celebration of our city’s vibrant literary culture and shared humanity.”
Presented by the City of San Diego Department of Cultural Affairs, the Academy of American Poets Partners, the UCSD Cross-Cultural Center, and the Pacific Arts Movement, SDPF24 underscores the City’s commitment to fostering a creative and inclusive cultural ecosystem.
The City of San Diego Department of Cultural Affairs advances and drives an equitable and inclusive creative economy and cultural ecosystem by investing in the work of artists and creatives and the institutions and systems that amplify creative work and experiences.
To learn more, visit sandiego.gov/cultural-affairs.
