avery r. young

Avery R. Young (stylized in all lowercase) is an American poet. His work includes the poetry volume neckbone as well as the albums booker t. soltreyne: a race rekkid and tubman. In 2023, he was appointed Poet Laureate of Chicago and inducted to the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame.

Biography Early life and career Avery R. Young was born in Chicago; his ancestors were from Lexington, Mississippi. He has also worked at Bridge magazine as poetry editor. Deirdre Robinson of the South Side Weekly said of Young: "when he's onstage, his powerful voice fills the room and his impassioned words serve as a testimonial that speak to the realities of the Black experience."

On April 24, 2023, he was named Poet Laureate by the city of Chicago, serving for two years; he was the first person appointed for the newly-created Poet Laureate program.

Career outside of poetry Young is leader of avery r. young & de deacon board, a blues/funk/gospel band. He has released two albums through FPE Records: booker t. soltreyne: a race rekkid (2013) and the spoken poetry album tubman. He was vocalist for Nicole Mitchell's Mandorla Awakening II: Emerging Worlds; John Corbett of DownBeat said that despite Young's vocals the lyrics were "evocative, political and symbolic—not plot-driven".

Young is part of The Floating Museum, a non-profit art collective that depicts Chicago neighborhoods as galleries of a museum that Chicago itself represents. He has worked as a teaching artist for University of Chicago's Arts + Public Life and non-profit Urban Gateways.

Accolades and personal life In 2022, Young received the Leader for a New Chicago award. He is also a Cave Canem Foundation Fellow.