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Presentation: Poetry recitation by Octavia Ikard - "Some Places"
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2025-26 Madison Youth Poet Laureate: Octavia Ikard
Octavia Ikard is a multi-disciplinary African American writer who grew up in Tallahassee, Florida, and Durham, North Carolina. The rich black Southern culture they were raised in, in combination with the stories and customs prevalent within their family permeate every aspect of their writing. They hope to continuously challenge people to lend their ear to truths that need to be spoken no matter how hard they are to hear. Octavia’s writing is the purest manifestation of their love for themself and the black women around them. Octavia hopes to live as long as possible so one day they’ll be a story worth telling.