So begins the reign of Ricardo Maldonado at the Academy of American Poets, announced on Wednesday to be its new president and executive director—the first Latino poet to be so named.
Maldonado was born and raised in Puerto Rico and in recent years (alongside major accolades) has devoted himself to serving as co-director of 92NY’s Unterberg Poetry Center in New York City, and founding the Center’s Young Writers Workshop, a program for high school students.
His poetry collection The Life Assignment was a finalist for the Poetry Society of America’s Norma Farber First Book Award and a Silver Medalist for the Juan Felipe Herrera Best Poetry Book Award.
The academy released a celebratory statement ahead of the announcement.
The Academy of American Poets awards over $1.3 million each year to dozens of poets.
