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Poet Laureate Program

Poet Laureate Laura Joyce-Hubbard

Laura Joyce-Hubbard is the City of Highland Park's first Poet Laureate! An exceptional writer who brings significant literary talent, programmatic ambition, and unique experience to this new role, Hubbard was selected by a jury of experts deeply connected to Highland Park’s literary community. A 24-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force who subsequently served as a commercial pilot, Laura’s work frequently draws on her wartime service and resiliency journey, particularly her experiences as a woman veteran. Laura is also deeply committed to social justice and has proposed an ambitious program to elevate diverse voices and make poetry accessible to all levels of experience and interest.

Upcoming Program
October 28: Image and Text: Photography and Poetry with Laura Joyce-Hubbard at Heller Nature Center

Join Laura for the first in a series with Highland Park’s inaugural Poet Laureate on the grounds of the beautiful Heller Nature Center. We will briefly stroll the trails for inspiration, capture photos on our phones or cameras, then return to the Prairie Room to read and write poems. We’ll learn how to incorporate our natural world into poetic lines and how to use photography as a muse.

No experience in poetry or photography necessary. If you have a printed photo of a natural setting that you would like to work with, feel free to bring photographic prints with you. If not, we’ll glean ideas from the grounds of Heller. Rain or shine, join us to write new lines.


Meet Laura
Check out the video below to learn more about Laura’s plans for public engagement through the new Highland Park Favorite Poems Project.