The first Seattle Civic Poet inauguration ceremony!

by artbeat on April 18, 2025

(L to R) José Luis Montero, Dujie Tahat, Mayor Bruce Harrell, Gülgün Kayim, Tom Fay. Photo by Leo Carmona.

To mark the tenth year of the Seattle Civic Poet program, the Office of Arts & Culture hosted our first-ever Seattle Civic Poet inauguration ceremony on March 25, 2025 in the City Council Chambers.

Hosted in partnership with the Seattle Public Library and Seattle City of Literature, the inauguration ceremony marked the commencement of a new two-year term for the fifth Seattle Civic Poet, Dujie Tahat.

“I believe in the essential role of poetry to bring people together in the provincial but necessary work of imagining a world not yet realized.” -Dujie Tahat.

Dujie Tahat speaks at the podium with the Seattle City seal behind them — (L to R) Mayor Bruce Harrell, Dujie Tahat, Tom Fay. Photo by Leo Carmona

In addition to Tahat, remarks were given by Mayor Bruce Harrell, outgoing Civic Poet Shin Yu Pai, Gülgün Kayim (Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Director), Tom Fay (Seattle Public Library Head Librarian), and José Luis Montero (Seattle City of Literature Board President).