Lee Herrick

Lee Herrick (born 1970) is an American poet, writer, and professor who was appointed to be Poet Laureate of the State of California, the first Asian American to hold the position, by governor Gavin Newsom in 2022.[1][2]

Biography

Herrick is ethnic Korean and was born in 1970 in Daejeon, South Korea. Ten months later he was adopted by parents in the United States.[3] Herrick grew up in Modesto, California, where he became interested in literature. Herrick lives in Fresno, teaching at Fresno City College and with the Low-Residency Master of Fine Arts program of study at the University of Nevada, Reno. He served as the Fresno Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2017.[4] In 2015 he co-founded LitHop, an annual literary arts festival in the city.[5]

Published works

• This Many Miles from Desire. Cincinnati: WordTech Editions. 2007. ISBN 9781933456614. OCLC 181372610.
• Gardening Secrets of the Dead. Cincinnati: WordTech Editions. 2012. ISBN 9781936370979. OCLC 824983456.
• Scar and Flower. Cincinnati: Word Poetry. 2018. ISBN 9781625492944. OCLC 1082154187.
• In praise of late wonder: new and selected poems. Santa Barbara: Gunpowder Press. 2024. ISBN 9781957062174. OCLC 1459752818.

As coeditor:

• The world I leave you: Asian American poets on faith and spirit. Asheville, NC: Orison Books. 2020. ISBN 9781949039054. OCLC 1142884166.

External links

• Herrick and his wife Lisa at StoryCorps
• How a Poet Was Made: On Adoption, Race and Discovering Voice on California Revealed

References

1. "Governor Newsom Appoints Lee Herrick as California Poet Laureate". California Arts Council (Press release). 18 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
2. "Lee Herrick". Fresno City College. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
3. "Lee Herrick". Poetry Foundation. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
4. "Governor Newsom Appoints California Poet Laureate". Governor Gavin Newsom. CAWeb Publishing Service. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
5. "Lee Herrick, Poet Laureate of Fresno: The Tropics of Meta Interview". Tropics of Meta. April 25, 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2024.