Yolanda Wisher is Philly's Third Poet Laureate!

Yes! Amazing! According to out-going Philly Poet Laureate, Frank Sherlock: "I look forward to her vision of Philadelphia's poetry future. It's in truly good hands."

A lot of people in the Philadelphia poetry world are very happy today.

On Friday morning, Mayor Kenney is scheduled to announce that Yolanda Wisher, a poet with a long history of publication and community activism, has been appointed Philadelphia poet laureate for 2016-17. The event is to include a short reading by the appointee.

Wisher is the city's third laureate, succeeding Frank Sherlock (2014-15) and Sonia Sanchez (2012-13). Her duties will include readings, community service projects, and mentoring other poets. She also will help select the next youth poet laureate, who will succeed David Jones. The appointment carries a stipend of $5,000 total for the two-year term.

When her first interview came by cellphone, Wisher, 39, was walking down Germantown Avenue Thursday night, in the neighborhood where she was born and lives - "a very special part of Philly," Wisher said, "with a lot of opportunity." She had a reading Thursday night at Farley's Bookshop in New Hope.

"I'm really feeling just thrilled and a little overwhelmed," Wisher said. "I found out a couple of weeks ago and had to keep this big secret. I told my mom, of course, my husband, a few people I kind of had to tell."

She found out via a phone call from Beth Feldman Brandt, executive director of the poet laureate governing committee. Brandt said Wisher was an ideal candidate.

Learn more about Yolanda Wisher at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Congratulations, Ms. Wisher!