Months after opening the search for the city’s third poet laureate in April, the city of Orlando on Monday confirmed its next literary voice.
Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orlando City Council named Camara Gaither to serve as a pillar in Orlando’s cultural and literary arts communities, tasked with promoting poetry and literature in the city.
The announcement comes amid a heightened focus on the position (as well as other arts and LGBTQ+ program funding) from Florida’s DOGE team and state CFO Blaise Ingoglia.
The state’s DOGE-focused have spoken out against the position and its $6,000-per-year salary.
Gaither’s annual salary representes a $2,000 increase from that of the city’s second poet laureate, her predecessor Shawn Welcome. She’ll also be reimbursed for approved expenses.
Gaither is a commissioned spoken word poet, a mental health therapist and a UCF alum with extensive poetry experience. She’s led several poetry groups and won competitions across the state, having also represented Orlando in a national team competition, the city says.
She’s also received multiple United Arts grants for her work “expanding access to poetry in underserved communities.”
Her new role will require she present original poems at city events and activities, as well as continue working to expand the “Words and Wonders” poetry contents, which was started by Orlando’s very first poet laureate, Susan Lilley.
“We are excited for Camara to use poetry and the literary arts to tell our community’s stories,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “There is no doubt that Orlando is a better place to live and work because of our vibrant arts and cultural scene. Our Poet Laureate will help continue to add to our City’s unique sense of place.”
Gaither replaces Orlando’s second Poet Laureate, Shawn Welcome, a professor at Valencia College who was appointed in 2021. Welcome is the voice of the widely applauded Reason Why spoken-word ode to the City Beautiful.
Gaither will serve a four-year term.
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Chloe Greenberg
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