Randal Mason is appointed WeHo’s sixth poet laureate

Wave Staff Report

WEST HOLLYWOOD — Randal Mason has been selected as the next city poet laureate by the City Council Oct. 5. Mason will serve through October 2029. 

Mason was selected through an application process with a selection committee comprised of members from the Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission, the West Hollywood Library and Friends of the West Hollywood Library, and former and current poets laureate. Previous city poets laureate are Steven Reigns, Kim Dower, Charles Flowers, Brian Sonia-Wallace, and Jen Cheng.

Mason is a poet and writer living in West Hollywood. Raised in working-class Pennsylvania, he writes about identity, interconnection, and finding awe in everyday moments. His poetry and writing can be found in the San Diego Poetry Annual, Jewel City Review, the Huffington Post, Eunoia Review, and Dreams in Hiding Anthology. 

His debut chapbook, “Atlas Poetics: Tales of Travel,” was selected as a Fountain Fellows project for publication by wokealicious press in 2026. “Atlas Poetics” draws on his experience traveling to 30 countries as an advisor in the nonprofit sector and collaborating with human rights advocates around the world. 

In West Hollywood, Mason is a member of Pride Poets with whom he has created typewriter poetry at events such as WeHo Pride. Mason can be found online at www.RandalWrites.com.

As West Hollywood city poet laureate, Mason will serve as a cultural ambassador, and will engage with the community through poetry, participate in public events, and promote the literary arts throughout the city. He began his term as the sixth city poet laureate by reading a poem at the city’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Commission meeting Oct. 22.

The city has a deep commitment to the arts and celebrating the rich literary culture of the community through programs such as its WeHo Reads literary series, Poetry Month celebration and the creation of the city poet laureate program in 2014.