As the new Colorado Poet Laureate, Apache plans to help a diversity of youth discover poetry and collaboratively work with county Poets Laureate across the state. The Poet Laureate position was created to promote an appreciation of poetry in Colorado and to honor outstanding Colorado poets. Colorado is among the first states to have a Poet Laureate when Governor Oliver Shoup appointed Alice Polk Hill in 1919. “We are thrilled to welcome Crisosto Apache as the new Colorado Poet Laureate. About Colorado Creative IndustriesColorado Creative Industries is a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.