CV Poet Zoe Dorado Finalist for National Award
Castro Valley's resident poet can add another award to her shelf. YoungArts on Friday named Zoe Dorado as a 2023 Finalist in its Writing/Spoken Word category, the highest honor of the organization.
Dorado, a Castro Valley High School senior, was the first-ever Youth Poet Laureate named in Alameda County in 2021. She joins 702 other young visual, literary, and performing artists from throughout the county.
"I remember getting an email from YoungArts in my AP English Literature class. The Artist Programs Coordinator wanted to give me a call, but she didn’t say why. As soon as I got the chance, I called them and got the good news," Dorado told the Forum.
Selected through the organization’s prestigious competition, YoungArts award winners, all 15–18 years old or in grades 10–12, are chosen for the caliber of their artistic achievement. Past award recipients include artists such as designer Daniel Arsham, musician Terence Blanchard, choreographer Camille A. Brown, actors Timothée Chalamet and Viola Davis, and celebrated poet Amanda Gorman.
"A lot of the young spoken word poets I admire, such as Anouk Yeh, the 2021 Santa Clara Youth Poet Laureate, and Samuel Getachew, the 2019 Oakland Youth Poet Laureate and 2020 Finalist for National Youth Poet Laureate, have been YoungArts finalists," Dorado said.
As a finalist, Dorado will participate in National YoungArts Week in January 2023. Award winners will have the chance to learn from notable artists such as architect Germane Barnes, author Richard Blanco, actor and playwright Taylor Mac, jazz alto saxophonist Charles McPherson, costume designer Machine Dazzle and actor BD Wong, who will lead the annual AON masterclass.
The award gives Dorado access to performance space, funding, mentorship, professional development, and community throughout her career.
"I’m part of the Bay Area spoken word poetry organization Youth Speaks, where I’ve done workshops, open mics, and poetry slams," Dorado said. "I’m grateful to Youth Speaks because this is where I’ve grown the most as a writer and person over the past few years since I stepped into my first online poetry workshop during quarantine. This is where I first grew into my voice. I’m thrilled to meet and learn from the other YoungArts poets, who may also come from different spoken word communities, and hopefully build long-lasting connections with them."
Dorado is also eligible to be nominated to become a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, one of the highest honors given to high school seniors by the President of the United States. YoungArts, the sole nominating agency, nominates 60 artists to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, from which the 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts are selected.