Australia’s leading poetry organisation Red Room Poetry has introduced the 2025 Youth Ambassadors program, four exceptional young poets who are helping shape the future of poetry in this country.
Spanning showcase performances, commissioned works for Poetry Month’s 30in30 series, and creative consultation, this national initiative celebrates the power of young voices to lead, inspire, and reimagine the role poetry plays in our lives and communities.
Red Room Poetry’s Creative Producer Izzy Roberts-Orr said “every movement needs fresh voices—and these are some of the strongest, sharpest, and most exciting emerging poets we know,”
The 2025 Red Room Youth Ambassadors are:
- Rataj Abdullah (Regional NSW) – Spoken word artist, community organiser, and Australian Poetry Slam Finalist (2023)
- Charlee Brooks (VIC) – Writer, content creator, and the creative force behind @grandpasbookclub
- Maggie Knight-Williams (ACT) – Poet, writer, and law student
- Jek Oladipo – aka Zafty (WA/VIC) – Rapper, poet, Unearthed High Finalist (2023) and featured in Triple J’s ‘Most Underrated Flow’ segment
The 2025 Youth Ambassador program marks a significant step toward building national pathways and recognition for young poetic voices.
The Ambassadors will provide advice to Red Room that will help shape a future Youth Poet Laureate Program for Australia. More information is available here.
The Youth Ambassadors are supported by Creative Australia’s Creative Futures Fund.
Source: Media release
