Santa Clara County honors community heroes and closes State of the County with poet laureate reading

San José — Santa Clara County used its 2026 State of the County ceremony to recognize community volunteers and organizations whose work supports housing, hunger relief and youth services, then closed the evening with a poem by the county poet laureate.

The county presented Presidential Community Hero Awards across supervisory districts. Honorees included neighborhood association leaders, nonprofit organizations that provide meals and shelter services, and the coalition credited with leading the Measure A campaign. Lee and other supervisors praised volunteer efforts that supported emergency interim housing, food distribution and veteran services.

A coalition the speech identified as “Save Our Local Hospitals” was singled out for organizing a broad campaign in support of Measure A; the address said volunteers raised nearly $3 million and carried out extensive outreach in the Measure A campaign. Lee thanked dozens of named honorees and local elected officials for partnership and community leadership.

The formal program concluded with a performance by the County Poet Laureate, Yosimar Reyes, who introduced himself and read a poem about immigrant labor, hope and belonging. Reyes described the poem as reflecting immigrant experience and the search for a place to call home.

The event included ceremonial elements (land acknowledgment, invocation, national anthem) and an awards photo; the clerk announced there was no public comment before the meeting was adjourned.