City of Goose Creek

The City’s first Poet Laureate is celebrating Goose Creek with her unique talent with words.

Christina “Tina” Baumis said she was “honored and thrilled” to be chosen by the City’s Cultural Arts Commission to serve as Goose Creek’s Poet Laureate. The selection was made earlier this year, and is part of the City’s focus on the arts.

Tina has been a resident in Goose Creek for over 20 years. During that time her vision to mentor, engage and inspire Goose Creek’s diverse community has become a magical reality.

"We are so excited that Tina is here, and that she's going to be such an important part of the City's artistic voice," Mayor Greg Habib said. "She is a special talent, and we're lucky to have her in Goose Creek."

Her creative works are included in Poems on the Comet Columbia buses, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, The Haiku Foundation’s Haiku Dialog, South 85 Journal, and other publications. She is anthologized in the Poets For Peace Sunflowers Rising Poems for Peace, with all proceeds benefiting orphans in Ukraine. 

One of her poems was selected to be recognized in a New Zealand video tribute to Katherine Mansfield’s 100the anniversary of her passing in 2023. Tina was the second-place recipient of The North Carolina Poetry Society’s Jean Williams Poetry of Disability, Disease, and Healing Award in 2024.  She co-initiated and volunteers at Cypress Gardens SC’s annual Poetry Walk with participants’ poetry displayed around the swamp in late May. 

Tina serves on the board of The Poetry Society of South Carolina (PSSC). She created Poetry Trails in conjunction with the PSSC as an outreach project which is open to the public and members. 

Poetry Trails meet at various state, national parks, as well as other notable locations throughout the state to share poetry outdoors on walks and hikes.  

The City of Goose Creek and its artistic community are looking forward to seeing lots of the new Poet Laureate at future City events, including at a Slam Poetry event at the new Creek Collective on Aug. 16. 

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