Gordon girl named 2023 youth poet laureate by Nebraska Writers Collective

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Nebraska Writers Collective selected a Gordon native as the 2023 youth poet laureate last month.

After a search, the Nebraska Writers Collective named Aliyah American Horse as the 2023 youth poet laureate in May.

Her interest in the competition was piqued when a group of poets performed at her school.

With her poems, American Horse advocates for the lives of Indigenous women in Nebraska.

“You hear about the people who’ve gone missing, you hear about girls who have been murdered, and like, it’s just something you hear about constantly and it’s sad,” she said.

Winners of the youth poet laureate award are given $2,000 to put toward a civic engagement project.

American Horse said she will work to keep Indigenous women safe with her winnings.

“I plan on just being different and just putting my whole heart into everything I do to impact others and show the real side of what goes on, like in our native community and how it’s scary and there needs to be a change,” she said.

On July 29, American Horse will present her work “No Tears” at the Maha Festival in Omaha.