El Segundo Introduces
New Poet Laureate

Meet Kweku Abimbola

Please join us in welcoming Kweku Abimbola to El Segundo as the City's second poet laureate!

Born in the Gambia, Abimbola earned his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in poetry from the University of Michigan's Helen Zell Writer's Program. He is of Gambian, Ghanaian, Nigerian, and Sierra Leonean descent.

Abimbola's first full-length poetry collection, Saltwater Demands a Psalm, was published by Graywolf Press in 2023. The debut collection was selected by Tyehimba Jess to receive the Academy of American Poets First Book Award. In 2024, Saltwater Demands a Psalm also received a gold medal Florida Book Award, and the inaugural Nossrat Yassini Poetry Prize. His work looks at the intersection of West African spirituality, ethnomusicology, cultural expression, and poetics to appreciate the legacies of Black literature on a global scale.

He has worked as a teaching artist for the Detroit-based literary nonprofit Inside Out Literary Arts and lectured in English and Creative Writing at the University of Michigan. Abimbola is an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Loyola Marymount University.

The Poet Laureate Program is a City initiative funded by El Segundo's Cultural Development Fund. The poet laureate was selected by a committee representing members from the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and the Cultural Arts Coordinator. The program seeks to promote diverse voices and perspectives in shaping and furthering the literary arts, culture, and creative expression. Abimbola’s term as poet laureate is two-years through the end of 2026.

Abimbola has programs planned to engage community members of all ages. Writing experience is not necessary to participate in any of the activities. 

For more information about Poet Laureate Kweku Abimbola and any upcoming programs, please reach out to Senior Librarian Julie Todd at 310-524-2729 or jtodd@elsegundo.org.