Safa Ahmed Named 2026 hawaii youth poetlaureate
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Hilo, Hawaiʻi — On April 16, 2026, the Hawaiʻi Youth Poet Laureate program made a triumphant return with its first-ever ceremony at the historic Palace Theater in Hilo. After a year-long pause, the program found new leadership and a renewed mission under the Archive for Health, Arts & Spirit (AHAS), bringing together young voices from across all islands in a celebration of poetry, culture, and connection.
Safa Ahmed, 17, a senior at Punahou School in Honolulu, was named the 2026 Hawaiʻi Youth Poet Laureate for their powerful contrapuntal piece ʻAʻole i pau — a meditation on sovereignty, land, and the enduring spirit of the Hawaiian people. As Laureate, Safa will spend the next year as a youth ambassador, attending workshops and producing work representing the youth perspective from across the islands. They will also join a national network of youth poets through Urban Word — the premier spoken word, poetry, and literary arts organization in the country, connecting Hawaiʻi's young voices to a growing community of youth writers and advocates nationwide.
The finalists were Miranda Yap, Kaci Reyes, and Maile Dunn (Punahou School) and Moss Kuon (Kamehameha Schools Maui). All five finalists will have the opportunity to join the Urban Word national network as part of this recognition. Honorable mentions were awarded to Kylie Yoshino-Tadaki, Megan Ing, and Alexandria Ikeda (Punahou School), Kayla Armstrong (St. Andrew's Schools), and Reina Chia (St. Andrew's Priory).
Recognized submissions were received from Chiara Borges Smith, Leia Galvez, Kaianna Stella, Nicole Jiang, Nicolette Eto, Robin VanderWerf, and Zhanyan Li (St. Andrews Schools/Priory); Christian Kaakua, Hunter Robertson, Julian Vintero McCoy, Melanie Diones, Nicole Balidoy, Remi Simon, and Scarlett Lai (Punahou School); Illyana Castaneda (Lahainaluna High School); Odeesa Golden (Hawaii Technology Academy); Tricen Silva-Puna (Volcano School of Arts & Sciences); and Wren Culley (Mid-Pacific Institute).
AHAS took on this work in October, grounding the program in its professional development initiative In Language There is Life and an accompanying Educators Guide — reaching over 2,000 youth across all islands with programming centered on social-emotional well-being, cultural and linguistic connection to Hawaiʻi, and connection as a protective health behavior for families and youth. Selected poems will be featured in AHAS's Connection is Prevention social media campaign.
The event was led by Travis Kaululāʻau Thompson and Kalehua Fung, former HI Youth Poet Laureate, with a grounding oli and introduction offered by Hōkū Pavao. The event was supported by the East Hawaiʻi Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and by a grant from the Atherton Family Foundation. Dozens of community partners helped make the year of programming and this event possible, including Nā Leo TV, Hilo High School, the Palace Theater, and the ARTS FIRST Committee, among others.
"Poetry has always been one of the most honest ways we have of telling the truth about our lives," said Travis Kaululāʻau Thompson. "These young poets reminded us that when we give youth a language for what they feel, we give them a way through. That is prevention. That is healing. That is what this work is for."
"Our stories are not just memory. They are medicine," said Hōkū Pavao. "Hawaiʻi has always known this. Our moʻolelo carry the wisdom of our ancestors, the truth of our land, and the future of our people. When young people stand up and speak from that place, from that deep well of who we are, they are not just performing. They are healing. They are continuing the line. That is why this work matters."
The event was recorded and streamed by Nā Leo TV and can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bxsbe-Ug2s&feature=youtu.be
The National Youth Poet Laureate Finals were held by Urban Word on April 25. You can watch that performance here: https://youtube.com/live/4h0xylzR5WI?feature=share
About Urban Word: Urban Word is a national nonprofit organization that provides free literary arts programming to thousands of youth, connecting young writers to mentorship, publication, and advocacy opportunities across the country. urbanword.org
About AHAS: The Archive for Health, Arts & Spirit is a Hawaiʻi-based organization working at the intersection of arts, health, and community well-being. healthartsspirit.org | ahas@healthartsspirit.org
WATCH the 2026 Finalist Showcase of the Hawaii State Youth Poet Laureate