Community Corner
Tshaka Campbell Named Santa Clara County''s Poet Laureate
Campbell is the curator of "Beautiful Black Books" as part of Poetry Center San Jose.
By Bay City News
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors appointed San Jose resident Tshaka Campbell to the honorary post Tuesday of Santa Clara County Poet Laureate for a two-year term.
Campbell, curator of "Beautiful Black Books" as part of Poetry Center San Jose, conducts lectures, workshops in creative writing, spiritual verse and in other related topics and is an author and musician.
Find out what's happening in Los Gatosfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Campbell has authored four books — "Tarman," "Muted Whispers," "Tunnel Vision" and "Stuff" — and released three music albums: "One," "Bloodlines" and "Skin, Vol. 1"). He has collaborated on a number of musical projects in the house, jazz and blues genres, as well as appeared in national commercials.
"I am standing on the shoulders of those who have held the post in the past, so I am both honored and humbled to be chosen," Campbell said.
Find out what's happening in Los Gatosfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
He is the seventh poet laureate to be appointed by the board. Nils Peterson was the first (2009-2011), followed by Sally Ashton (2012-13), David Perez (2014-2015), Arlene Biala (2016-17), Mike McGee (2018-19) and Janice Lobo Sapigao (2020-21).
A presentation will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, during the supervisors' meeting to formally introduce Campbell, who will read a selection of his work.
To learn more about the Poet Laureate program, go to sccld.org/poet/.
Copyright © 2022 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.
