NEW ORLEANS, La. (KLFY) — The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, along with Gov. Jeff Landry, has announced Louisiana’s newest Poet Laureate.

Gina Ferrara assumed the post Aug. 14. For the next two years, Ferrara will travel the state encouraging fellow Louisianans to explore and engage with poetry.

Mark C. Tullis, LCI Workers’ Comp administrator, nominated Ferrara for the position.

“Her poems take the reader back to one’s childhood, one’s neighborhood, one’s family, one’s foods – all the things that make living in Louisiana unique and special,” Tullis said.

Ferrara, an associate professor of English at Delgado Community College, lives in New Orleans and has five poetry collections. Her latest, “Amiss,” was published by Dos Madres Press in 2023. Her work has appeared in many journals including Callaloo, The Poetry Ireland Review, Tar River, The Southern Review, and was nominated for a Best of the Net and a Pushcart Award in 2024. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English and Master of Fine Arts from the University of New Orleans.

According to selection guidelines, nominees must have published works in books, anthologies, literary journals or magazines. In addition, the selection committee must seek information from the general public and the literary community. The committee must select nominees who reflect the diverse cultures and heritage of Louisiana.

“Gina Ferrara’s work captures the heart and soul of Louisiana,” said First Lady Sharon Landry. “Through her poetry, she celebrates our communities, our stories, and our culture in a way that is both heartfelt and profound. I know her tenure as Poet Laureate will inspire countless Louisianans to discover and embrace their own creative voices.”

Previous Louisiana Poets Laureate include Alison Pelegrin, Mona Lisa Saloy, John Warner Smith, Jack Bedell, Brenda Marie Osbey, Darrell Bourque, Julie Kane, Ava Leavell Haymon and Peter Cooley.

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