Colorado’s new poet laureate will help celebrate the state’s 150th anniversary — and the nation’s 250th — this year while continuing to teach kids about poetry, work with artists statewide, and advocate for the arts.
Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday announced Crisosto Apache as the latest Colorado poet to receive the two-year term, following Boulder poet Andrea Gibson. Apache is an Indigenous poet and associate professor at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design whose published works include the collections “GENESIS,” “Ghostword,” and “is(ness).” He also serves as editor-at-large for the literary publication The Offing Magazine, the governor’s office said in a statement.
“I am deeply honored to step into the legacy of Colorado’s Poets Laureates as the 11th … to walk this path,” Apache said in a statement. “For me, this service is more than a title; it’s about sharing the quiet miracle of poetry and the transformative power poetry holds for our lives.”
Apache is Mescalero Apache, Chiricahua Apache and Diné (Navajo). He hails from Mescalero, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, according to his website.
“In his new position, Colorado’s Poet Laureate is our statewide ambassador of the arts, inspiring and uplifting the next generation of artists and poets in our state,” Polis said in the statement. “Crisosto will be a strong advocate for the arts and art education, helping youth discover poetry, and bringing Coloradans together.”
Polis added that he’s grateful for Gibson’s service as our previous poet laureate, and that “we posthumously continue to honor Andrea’s artistic influence and unwavering conviction as powerfully shown in the 2026 Oscar-nominated film ‘Come See Me in the Good Light.’” The film was nominated last week in the Best Documentary category.
Gibson died on July 14, 2025, after being diagnosed with cancer in 2021. The documentary about her has won acclaim since it hit the awards circuit and streaming channels last year, bringing new attention to an otherwise quiet position in the state’s arts infrastructure.
“Today, perhaps more than ever, our young people need poetry,” Apache said. “When a young person finds their voice through a poem, they aren’t just writing — they are building the vision for a more compassionate society and future. I hope my time in this role can serve as a bridge, helping young people discover the voices that will shape our futures.”
Colorado Humanities, the Center for the Book, and Colorado Creative Industries jointly support the honorary poet laureate position, Polis’ office said, offering $10,000 annually “to cover honoraria and travel expenses related to public presentations for each term. This year, an additional $5,000 will be available as part of the 250/150 Commemoration work. The Word, A Storytelling Sanctuary, administered the application and selection process.”
