Mayor Danny Avula announced on April 14 the selection of Maurice “Moeflowz” Brown and Rosa Castellano as Richmond’s next Poet Laureates during the Richmond Poetry Festival. The two poets will be the city’s third laureates, following Joanna Lee and Douglas Powell, also known as Roscoe Burnems.
The announcement is part of Mayor Avula’s efforts to foster storytelling and community healing in Richmond. “My Mayoral Action Plan focuses on being ‘a city that tells its stories and tells the truth about its past,’” said Mayor Danny Avula. “Storytelling is how we understand healing in this city and how we imagine new futures together. It’s the foundation of what drives our administration: the work of bringing communities together and doing the collective healing work our city and our society so deeply need. And the Poet Laureate program is vital to that work.”
Richmond’s Poet Laureate program was established in 2020 as a response to challenges faced by local artists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it has aimed to support local poets while integrating their voices into municipal initiatives. The latest application cycle attracted submissions from across Richmond, with an initial committee composed of community partners and city staff reviewing applications before forwarding recommendations to Mayor Avula for final selection.
Both Dr. Brown and Ms. Castellano bring significant experience connecting communities through poetry. Dr. Brown first performed poetry in Richmond in the early 2000s while stationed at Fort Lee, later becoming active in slam poetry circles and founding Ink & Barrel Inc., which promotes empowerment through poetry. He also teaches math at Virginia Commonwealth University and proposed a citywide initiative involving intergenerational storytelling workshops.
“The first time I saw Moe perform, I knew I was watching something special,” said Mayor Danny Avula . “Moe’s a dynamic speaker who invites an audience in and challenges them at the same time. He’s also a true teaching artist—his experiences educating and mentoring youth sets him up to make an enormous impact as a Poet Laureate.”
“Richmond has the talent, history, and energy to position itself as a leader in Virginia’s arts scene,” Dr. Brown said.“Its future depends on connection, on collaboration, shared resources, and intentional cross-pollination. I see my role as helping facilitate those connections so the community can grow stronger together.”
Ms. Castellano moved to Richmond for graduate studies at VCU in 2001 before returning permanently with her family in 2018.She co-founded RVA Poetry Fest, serves as Writing Engagement Coordinator at Visual Arts Center,and Literary Arts Director for Sundress Publications.Her proposal included launching a Youth Poet Laureate program for Richmond.
“As anyone who has spent time at Poetry Fest can tell you,Rosa is just a powerhouse organizer who turns vision into reality,” said Mayor Danny Avula .“The range of voicesand activities represented there is a testamentto her dreamof acity richwith creative expression.Her own beautiful writingis even more powerful becauseof way she brings other writersand artists along with her.”
“The future of poetryand quite possibly what’s nextfor allof us will likely involve some formof service ,of caringfor our neighborsand todo that,we needto seeand know each other.Poetryis one powerful waythat can happen,”said Ms.Castellano.“AsPoetLaureate,Iwill continue workingtosupport existing literary arts groupsby creating infrastructureto makeit easierformore peopleto findtheir literary homes.”
Dr.BrownandMs.Castellanowill each receivea $5 ,000 stipend annually fortheir tenurealongwith$2 ,000 annuallyin supportoftheirproposed programs.Their appointmentwas announced atthe ongoingRichmondPoetryFest.
