As part of National Poetry Month, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the selections of Deborah Mouton - an internationally-known poet, singer, actress, photographer, wife and mother - as Houston’s third Poet Laureate and Fareena Arefeen as the city’s second Youth Poet Laureate. Mouton was chosen from among Houston’s poetry community through a competitive application and interview process by a panel of local literary arts experts. Her two-year term begins in April 2017 and runs through April 2019. As Poet Laureate, she will work closely with the Houston Public Library and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs to implement her Community Outreach Project. She will also conduct eight workshops in Houston Public Libraries, create videos and poems to share on social media and mentor the Houston Youth Poet Laureate.