D.L. Lang

Diana L. Lang (née Kettle)[1][6][12] was born in Bad Hersfeld, Germany[2][3] on June 26, 1983[2] to William and Petra Kettle.[12][2] As a result of growing up in a military family as a child Lang lived in Texas, Louisiana, and Enid, Oklahoma[12] before moving to California in 2006.[3] Lang became a pacifist, leaning left politically, at age 12.[13] Lang is a 2001 graduate[1] of Enid High School[12] and also studied at Northern Oklahoma College,[14] prior to obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies from the University of Oklahoma.[1] She married Timothy Lang in 2006.[13] Prior to moving to Vallejo, the couple lived in San Rafael, California.[13]

While in college Lang worked as a video editor at television station KXOK-LD,[15] as a band promoter for Grey from Enid, Oklahoma,[13][15] and created documentary films and music videos.[15] These films included Liquid Wind, a kiteboarding film by director Charles Maupin that features an interview with Mike Morgan,[16] which was broadcast on Oklahoma PBS affiliate OETA,[17] and The Hebrew Project[2], a Hebrew language film that featured University of Oklahoma professors Ori Kritz and Norman Stillman and was broadcast on The Jewish Channel.[18]

Lang began writing poetry as a child, first attempting to write song lyrics.[13] She cites The Beatles,[13] Pete Seeger, Allen Ginsberg, Jim Morrison, and Bob Dylan as influences.[3] In addition to writing about her life,[13] Lang writes on themes of Judaism,[19] social justice,[13] political protest,[20] feminism,[20] anti-capitalism,[19] anti-racism[19] and pacifism.[19][20] Her poems have been published in the Benicia Herald,[21] The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles,[22] A Poet's Siddur: Friday Evening: Liturgy Through the Eyes of Poets,[23] the Benicia First Tuesday Poets anthology Light & Shadow[24], the Marin Poetry Center Anthology, Vol 21[13], and on ReformJudaism.org.[25]

D.L. Lang began performing her poetry in 2015,[13] becoming Poet Laureate of Vallejo, California in 2017.[26] There she edited the poetry anthology Verses, Voices & Visions of Vallejo.[13] As poet laureate Lang performed 141 times in 18 different cities. [27] Lang gave the invocation[28] at the 2019 Vallejo Women's March.[29] During her tenure she also performed her poetry at many local events, including Vallejo Unites Against Hatred,[30] Unity Day,[31] International Peace Day [32]and Why Poetry Matters.[33] Lang also gave a presentation on Emma Lazarus and Alicia Ostriker for AAUW Voices of Change.[34] Lang also judged seven contests [27] including the county Poetry Out Loud high school recitation competition [35] and county library teen writing competition.[36] She performed regularly at Poetry by the Bay[37] and like her predecessor,[38] lead the Poetry in Notion poetry circle,[37] and hosted annual events for National Poetry Month.[3] Lang was preceded in as Vallejo's poet laureate by Genea Brice,[4] and succeeded by Jeremy Snyder, host of Poetry by the Bay.[39]

• Genea Brice
• Jeremy Snyder
• List of municipal poets laureate in California