Robin Rodricks

Robin Rodricks served as San Mateo County Arts Commissioner for over a decade prior to being named the first Executive Director of the San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture, a division in the County Executive’s Office that was created in 2022. A seasoned arts administrator, Robin oversaw the implementation of the County’s Strategic Arts and Culture Plan which includes diverse and inclusive arts events, programs, and services accessible and equitable to all residents. She also served on the San Mateo County Poet Laureate Advisory Committee from 2013 to 2023. Administration of the San Mateo County Poet Laureate program was brought under the Office of Arts and Culture in 2022.

In her Foreword in the anthology, I Have a Dream: Inaugural Poems for a New Generation, published in 2021 with support from the San Mateo County Arts Commission, Robin writes:

“Poetry — and  the arts — help both the writer and the audience process and give voice to thoughts and feelings, which very often lead to social action.  The youth of today are living through a pandemic, and civil unrest from institutional racism.  How they respond to these circumstances will determine their future and the future of society as a whole.  Their voices and actions, reflecting visions and dreams for a better tomorrow, will help us all as we struggle with the present, and work towards achieving a more just society.

“The Arts Commission is committed to a healthy and vibrant community, and to connecting and inspiring every aspect of the diverse lives in San Mateo County. Nothing gives me more hope for a better society than that of voices of our youth speaking out — not just for themselves, but for all of us.  And I truly believe in what author Johann Goedte wrote, that “At the moment of commitment, the world conspires to assist you.”  Thank you, Poets, for putting your visions and dreams to paper and agreeing to having them published here — in doing so you have taken the first step in your commitment to contributing to a better world.”