By:

Juan Gonzales

Mission poet Jorge Argueta, who is also author of a collection of bilingual books for children, is the new poet laureate for San Mateo County. He is the fourth person to be selected to the position since its creation in 2013. Argueta, a Daly City resident, is a native of El Salvador, who also authored five collections of poetry. Argueta’s past honors include an Americas Book Award for the children’s book “Alfredito Flies Home,” with illustrations by Luis Garay. “Talking to Mother Earth/Hablando con Madre Tierra,” a collection of children’s poetry, earned an International Latino Book Award for Best Bilingual Book. Argueta will serve a two-year term, performing a variety of duties, such as administering a community project and making presentations at county-sponsored events.