The Academy of American Poets has announced it will award $50,000 each to 22 poets serving as poets laureate in cities and states across the country, including Lois Roma-Deeley of Scottsdale. In addition, the Academy will provide $90,944 total in matching grants to eleven local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations collaborating with laureates on their work.

“The Academy’s Poet Laureate Fellowships recognize laureates’ literary excellence while enabling them to undertake meaningful and innovative projects that enrich the lives of community members, including youth, through responsive and interactive poetry activities,” according to a press release.

Roma-Deeley will engage youth and seniors at a Poetry Fest planned for October through a generative workshop, poetry booth, poetry wall and magnetic poetry board, as well as opportunities to interact with local poetry organizations and publishers.

Roma-Deeley is a poet, editor, and educator. Her sixth poetry collection is “Waiting for the Mercy Ship” (Broadstone Books, 2025). She is a four-time recipient of creative writing residences at the Ragdale Foundation and has received numerous grants. She was named the U.S. Professor of the Year, Community College, by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

For additional information, visit poets.org.