Ribka Desta: 2023 YPL | Arlington, VA

Introducing, Ribka Desta, the 2023 Youth Poet Laureate for Arlington County, VA. Discover her skill with words and her inspiration to write.

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Ribka Desta, Arlington County’s new Youth Poet Laureate, has been an Arlingtonian and writer her entire life. In recent years, she has shone a light on poetry and reintroduced herself to the world as a young, black, female poet - all identities intertwined and sources of inspiration. Her poems have been recognized by American High School Poets, Arlington County, and the D.C Regional Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Additionally, she has attended the University of Virginia’s “Young Writers Workshop”. She has a wide range of experience with leadership programs and volunteering with elementary school students - two areas she tends to focus on as Youth Poet Laureate.