Former Poet Laureates
City of Cupertino Sixth Poet Laureate - Jing Jing Yang
Jing Jing Yang is Cupertino's sixth Poet Laureate whose term began March 1, 2020 and ended on December 31, 2022. Jing Jing grew up with a love for poetry, listening to her father recite Chinese classic poetry from the Han, Tang and Song dynasties. Since moving to Cupertino in 2011, Jing Jing has been a part of the City's poetry community and has enjoyed the programs of previous poet laureates as a creative outlet. Jing Jing aims to help Cupertino become a place where the West meets the East, the past meets the future and its poetic voice be heard around the globe.
City of Cupertino Fifth Poet Laureate - Kaecey McCormick
Kaecey McCormick is a language and visual artist and creativity coach on a mission to ignite creativity in everyone. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and was named the 2018-2020 Poet Laureate for the City of Cupertino where she enjoyed bringing her mission to life by celebrating creativity in community with others. Kaecey holds degrees in Anthropology and Psychology from UCLA and the University of Maryland, and an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University. Her poetic work has won awards and been featured in numerous journals, anthologies, her books. She has served as a judge to various poetry contests, including the 2020 California State Poetry Society contest.
During her term, Kaecey designed and facilitated many creativity workshops and programs for community members of all ages. She was a featured presenter at different locations around the South Bay, helping spread the power of poetry beyond the borders of Cupertino. Whenever possible, Kaecey joined with other artists and writers to create diverse programs that reached a broad audience.
To celebrate her term and the creativity in Cupertino and the surrounding areas, Kaecey edited the anthology Celebrate Creativity: A Cupertino Community Antology (Legentibus Press). This 350-page book features creative writing from over 80 contributors, visual art, and poetry in different languages.
City of Cupertino Fourth Poet Laureate - Ann Muto
Ann Muto comes to this community role with experience as a poet, teacher and avid volunteer. She has a BA in Social Sciences from Berkeley, a Credential in Elementary Education, and a Masters in Administration and Higher Education from San Jose State. Her book, Open Passage, was published by the Japanese American Museum of San Jose in 2010. Ann found insights to her many questions about her family’s history while volunteering at the museum. Her love of nature is reflected in her poetry and her founding and activities of the Point Lobos Docent Poetry Interest Group.
Ann was born in a War Relocation Authority Camp during World War II. After her family’s return to California, they settled in Salinas. She met her husband at Berkeley, and they have one grown daughter. The Santa Clara Valley has been her home since 1970, where she worked in public education for 28 years as a teacher and administrator.
City of Cupertino Third Poet Laureate- Amanda Williamsen
Amanda Williamsen came from rural roots in Ohio to the heart of bustling Silicon Valley, but one thing never changed: her passion for poetry. Amanda Williamsen, has lived in Cupertino for almost 10 years, had an extensive journey to end up not only in Cupertino but also as the city's third poet laureate.
"I feel very lucky," she said of being selected. "I think that I am just one of many people that the city might have chosen. And I'm sure that when my term is over, many other talented people will be able to do this, too."
City of Cupertino Second Poet Laureate- Jennifer Swanton Brown
The City Council of Cupertino unanimously approved the recommendation of the Cupertino Library Commission naming Jennifer Swanton Brown as the second Poet Laureate of Cupertino. Her term was October 1st, 2013-September 30th, 2015, a two year period. David Denny, the City’s first Poet Laureate fulfilled a “very successful” first term, engaging all ages of the community in poetry.
Brown “has many ideas about increasing poetry knowledge, enjoyment and participation in Cupertino.” The experience of writing and publishing poems as a school girl “was transformative, and something I believe I can offer the children of our community.” She will also focus on international styles of poetry. “A community as diverse as Cupertino should celebrate the ancient and varied poetic traditions of its citizens’ literature and cultures,” notes Brown.
“I am delighted to be chosen to promote poetry in my home town” said Brown, an educator, writer, and long-time teacher of California Poets in the Schools. “Cupertino has given this community a powerful opportunity to explore together, young and old, the values of imagination and creativity. My favorite inspirational quote is attributed to Picasso, but it applies to poets and all creative experience: ‘Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working.’ Becoming the second Cupertino Poet Laureate will give me a chance to work with so many and hopefully to inspire some!”
City of Cupertino's First Poet Laureate - David Denny
David Denny served as Cupertino's inaugural Poet Laureate (2011-2013). Through a variety of public events for youth, teens and adults, he brought people together (some new to the art of poetry and some seasoned writers) to share and celebrate creativity. Coffeehouse readings, events with other local laureates, a citywide contest, and poetry writing workshops were a few of the happenings that Denny sponsored as ways to engage our diverse community and encourage literary expression. As Denny said near the end of his term, "It's been such a pleasure to bring the literary arts to the forefront of our community. Cupertino is a great city, and it has been my honor to serve its residents in this capacity. Keep scribbling everybody".