Local Resident Named County's Poet Laureate

LONG BEACH, NY — A Long Beach resident has been selected as Nassau County Poet Laureate.

Paula Curci will serve in the position through the Nassau County Poet Laureate Society from June 2022 to June 2024.

In her role as the county's eighth poet laureate, Curci will develop programs that encourage poets to find their voices.

"Poetry has always been an outlet for me, it is an expressive and healing art. I saw it become a vehicle for so many who felt isolated during COVID the past two years," Curci said in a statement. "I feel very lucky to have been named Poet Laureate at a time when we can actually come together in person to express ourselves through poetry and use it as the vehicle to reflect on our collective experiences."

Curci is the host and producer of Long Island's premier poetry and arts radio program "Calliopes Corner" on Hofstra University's WRHU 88.7 FM.

She has published several books and three spoken-word albums, in partnership with the Acoustic Poets Network.