First Lady Dawn Moore and the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) today announced the appointment of Lady Brion as Maryland’s 11th Poet Laureate in a ceremony at the Clifton House in Baltimore. The first lady was joined by Mayor Brandon Scott, Maryland State Arts Council Executive Director Steven Skerritt-Davis, and local members of the arts community.
“Lady Brion has a gift for relating lived experiences in truthful and powerful ways,” said First Lady Moore. “No doubt she will serve the State well and make best use of this position to continue the important work of truth-telling and inspiring Marylanders through poetry and the spoken word.”
Based in Baltimore City, Lady Brion is a spoken word artist, writer, cultural worker, and activist whose efforts focus on women’s empowerment and telling the story of the Black experience. The author of several written and recorded publications, Lady Brion is a mainstay in state, national, and international spoken word scenes. She has been awarded many first place honors, including being named champion at the 2016 National Poetry Slam. In 2023, she performed at the inaugurations of Governor Wes Moore and Comptroller Brooke Lierman.
