Identical twins Al Mills and Nnamdi Chukwuocha, known as the Twin Poets, are social workers, award-winning spoken word poets, nonprofit administrators, elected officials, and community activists. They were appointed as the 17th Poets Laureate of the State of Delaware in December 2015. As Delaware’s Poets Laureate, they are strong advocates for poetry throughout the state by: incorporating spoken word and creative writing programming into schools and community centers; introducing poetry as a tool for transformation within detention centers and correctional facilities; and taking spoken word into communities affected by gun violence. The Delaware State Poet Laureate program is facilitated by the Delaware Division of the Arts. The Division works with the Delaware Poet Laureate to coordinate activities and appearances in communities throughout the state. In 2020 the Twin Poets were named National Academy of Poets Laureate Fellows.

 

The Honorable Nnamdi Chukwuocha is a member of the Delaware House of Representatives, representing District 1. He is a community-based social worker who sits on an array of boards and commissions including the Redding Consortium for Educational Equity. Chukwuocha has well over 30 years’ experience in the nonprofit world, was recently awarded the Wilmington Urban League’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Award, and has been recognized as an outstanding Delaware State University Alumni.The Honorable Albert “Al” Mills was a Councilmember At-Large on the Wilmington City Council. He is a community-based social worker deeply rooted in the juvenile justice system. Mills has designed and led organizations that provide services for delinquent youth and their families. As a therapist, he serves New Castle County Delaware’s Multisystemic Therapy Services. Mills is a certified A.R.T. therapist, and takes pride in his efforts to utilize art as a tool for foundational change in youth, families, communities, and our society. A cofounder of G.O.A.L.S., and S.Y.A.-Tutoring and Mentoring Programs in Wilmington, Mills is also an honored army veteran who served in Iraq and speaks about his struggles with PTSD as a result of the war.