Marcus Amaker is Charleston, South Carolina’s first Poet Laureate and an award-winning graphic designer. Marcus’ poems have been featured on TEDxCharleston, PBS Newshour, the A&E network, the Huffington Post, Alaska Beyond Magazine and many local media outlets. As Poet Laureate, Marcus visits local schools and conducts poetry workshops to inspire students to write.

He’s created more than 20 electronic music albums, more than 100 websites and one poetry festival.

As a journalist, Marcus helped to create Charleston Scene, for the Post and Courier. He is the lead graphic designer for Charleston Jazz and the national music journal, No Depression.

Charleston Business Magazine named him one of Charleston’s 50 Most influential people.

His wife, Jordan Amaker, is an activist and marketing director of Lowcountry Local First.