D.L. Lang

Diana Lucille Lang[11] (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[3] as a child Lang relocated frequently, residing in Herleshausen, Germany,[13] Santa Fe, Texas,[13] Alexandria, Louisiana,[13] and Enid, Oklahoma.[12] Lang graduated from Enid High School in 2001,[1][12] received an Associate of Science in General Studies[14] at Northern Oklahoma College,[15] and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies with a minor in Judaic Studies[14] from the University of Oklahoma.[1] After college she moved to California in 2005[14] and married Timothy Lang in 2006,[16][3] living in San Rafael, California prior to moving to Vallejo.[17][16] Lang became a pacifist, leaning left politically, at age 12,[16] and later expressing support for marxism.[18]

While in college Lang worked as a video editor at television station KXOK-LD,[19] as webmaster for University of Oklahoma student radio station the Wire,[20] and as a band promoter for Grey from Enid, Oklahoma.[16][19] She also created documentary films and music videos, including Liquid Wind, a kiteboarding film by director Charles Maupin that features an interview with Mike Morgan,[21] which was broadcast on Oklahoma PBS affiliate OETA,[22] and The Hebrew Project,[2] a Hebrew language film that featured University of Oklahoma professors Ori Kritz and Norman Stillman, which was broadcast on The Jewish Channel.[23]

Lang began writing poetry as a child, first attempting to write song lyrics.[16] She cites Dan Nichols,[24] The Beatles,[16] Pete Seeger, Allen Ginsberg, Jim Morrison, and Bob Dylan as influences.[3] In addition to writing about her life,[16] Lang writes on themes of Judaism,[25] social justice,[16] political protest,[26] feminism,[26] anti-capitalism,[25] anti-racism[25] and pacifism.[25][26] Her poems have been published in newspapers, journals, and anthologies, including Benicia Herald,[27] The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles,[28] A Poet's Siddur: Friday Evening Liturgy Through the Eyes of Poets,[29] the Benicia First Tuesday Poets anthology Light & Shadow,[30] the Marin Poetry Center Anthology, Vol 21,[16] Colossus: Home,[31] and on ReformJudaism.org.[32] Lang began performing her poetry in 2015, following a debut reading at her synagogue,[16] Rodef Sholom.[32]

D.L. Lang was appointed Poet Laureate of Vallejo, California in September 2017 and served through December 2019.[33][34] As poet laureate Lang edited the poetry anthology Verses, Voices & Visions of Vallejo[16][35] and performed 141 times in 18 different cities.[36] Lang gave the invocation[37] at the 2019 Vallejo Women's March.[38] During her tenure she also performed her poetry at many local events, including Vallejo Unites Against Hatred,[39] Unity Day,[40] International Peace Day [41] and Why Poetry Matters.[42] Lang also gave a presentation on Emma Lazarus and Alicia Ostriker for AAUW Voices of Change.[43] Lang also judged seven contests[36] including the county Poetry Out Loud high school recitation competition,[44] Joel Fallon poetry scholarship,[14] Solano County Fair talent competition,[14] Vallejo poetry slam,[33] and county library teen writing competition.[45] She performed regularly on air on KZCT[14] and on stage at Poetry by the Bay.[46] Like her predecessor,[47] she led the Poetry in Notion poetry circle[46] and hosted annual events for National Poetry Month.[3] Lang was preceded as Vallejo's poet laureate by Genea Brice,[4] and succeeded by Jeremy Snyder, host of Poetry by the Bay.[48] In 2020 she was a featured act at the Solano County Virtual Fair,[49] and judged the library's teen poetry competition.[50] In 2021 she performed virtually for Poetry Flash[51] and Point Arena Third Thursday Poetry.[14] She also performed with Brice and Snyder at Alibi Bookshop,[52] and for the Jewish Democrats of Solano County.[53] In 2022 she performed for the AAUW,[54] Solano County Library,[55] and San Francisco Public Library.[56]

• 3rd place in Poems of Political Protest contest, City Limits Publishing (2020)[57]

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