Mount Diablo Peace and Justice Center's
Dennis Thomas 22nd annual
ART & WRITING CHALLENGE - 2020
AND
YOUTH ACTIVIST GRANT
COVID-19 UPDATE:
Due to shelter-in-place ordinances, the Peace Center has closed it's office in Lafayette for the time being. We are still holding our Art and Writing Contest for this year, along with our Youth Activist Grants but have modified the submission process.
ALL ENTRIES + NOMINATIONS MAY BE SUBMITTED VIA GOOGLE FORMS:
https://tinyurl.com/artandwriting2020
Entries no longer need a cover sheet, simply fill out the information and upload a photograph of your visual artwork or a PDF of your writing.
Nomination forms for the Youth Activist Grant can be found at the bottom of this page and may also be submitted via the same google form.
Topic/Prompt for Art & Writing Challenge 2020:
"Our Connected Planet"
In the past year, the Peace Center has been proud to see momentum build in the climate justice movement, led by student activists. They have mobilized huge numbers of people to stand up for our planet and demand change from world leaders and policymakers. These students, among many other inspiring activists and grassroots organizations, advocate that climate justice must be addressed using an intersectional approach, connecting the health of our planet with various forms of systemic marginalization that disproportionately affect low-income folks of color, immigrants, and indigenous communities.
For this year’s art and writing challenge, we take inspiration from these activists and ask:
The theme is intentionally broad to allow students the freedom to convey their vision. We hope that students critically grapple with the past and present to inform their work.
In light of COVID-19, we have also added an additional (completely optional) component to the prompt/theme. We would like to give students an opportunity to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on their lives and the world.
Because the Peace Center has canceled all events for the near future, our funding has been heavily impacted. We are using this time to apply for grants and brainstorm new ways of keeping afloat during this time of transition. In the meantime, we unfortunately have to slightly reduce the amount of prize money we are awarding to our winners this year. The adjusted prizes are below!
Due to shelter-in-place ordinances, the Peace Center has closed it's office in Lafayette for the time being. We are still holding our Art and Writing Contest for this year, along with our Youth Activist Grants but have modified the submission process.
ALL ENTRIES + NOMINATIONS MAY BE SUBMITTED VIA GOOGLE FORMS:
https://tinyurl.com/artandwriting2020
Entries no longer need a cover sheet, simply fill out the information and upload a photograph of your visual artwork or a PDF of your writing.
Nomination forms for the Youth Activist Grant can be found at the bottom of this page and may also be submitted via the same google form.
Topic/Prompt for Art & Writing Challenge 2020:
"Our Connected Planet"
In the past year, the Peace Center has been proud to see momentum build in the climate justice movement, led by student activists. They have mobilized huge numbers of people to stand up for our planet and demand change from world leaders and policymakers. These students, among many other inspiring activists and grassroots organizations, advocate that climate justice must be addressed using an intersectional approach, connecting the health of our planet with various forms of systemic marginalization that disproportionately affect low-income folks of color, immigrants, and indigenous communities.
For this year’s art and writing challenge, we take inspiration from these activists and ask:
- How has your connection to our planet played a significant role in your life?
- How have you been impacted by threats to our climate/planet? How do you see others being affected?
- Do you see climate justice as connected to other forms of social justice? If so, how?
- In what ways is our planet impacted or threatened by things like nuclear energy, the military-industrial complex, capitalism, and notions of “progress”?
- What would your vision of a just and healthy world look like?
The theme is intentionally broad to allow students the freedom to convey their vision. We hope that students critically grapple with the past and present to inform their work.
In light of COVID-19, we have also added an additional (completely optional) component to the prompt/theme. We would like to give students an opportunity to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on their lives and the world.
- What lessons are we learning?
- How do we build strong communities to help us get through these situations in the future?
- How do we work to build a transformative world to return to once our shelter in place has been lifted?
Because the Peace Center has canceled all events for the near future, our funding has been heavily impacted. We are using this time to apply for grants and brainstorm new ways of keeping afloat during this time of transition. In the meantime, we unfortunately have to slightly reduce the amount of prize money we are awarding to our winners this year. The adjusted prizes are below!
- Middle School and High School Grand Prize Winners
- $250 each - for outstanding work, all categories considered
- HS First Prize Winners
- Visual Art: $100
- Creative Writing: $100
- Essay: $100
- Middle School First Prize Winners
- Visual Art: $100
- Creative Writing: $100
- Essay: $100
- HS & Middle School Honorable Mentions
- Winners of this category will have their work and name featured on our website / social media pages.
2019 Youth Activist Grant Awardee, Lucy Siale
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In 2019, the Center established our Youth Activist Grant Award as a way to recognize and honor young people in our community organizing around peace and justice.
We have been inspired by the number of the dedicated and brave students we see taking change into their own hands and speaking truth to power. Youth are showing us the way!
We want students to know that they can be powerful instruments of change and that the actions they take can have a huge impact in creating a more just and equitable world for all.
Please nominate a youth organization, individual or group of young people (grades 6-12) who have shown a remarkable commitment to engaging in the struggle for human rights, world peace, social justice, and/or youth empowerment.
Nomination Forms AVAILABLE BY CLICKING HERE - SAVE AS PDF + Submit via attachment to the link below
Deadline: May 16th via GOOGLE FORMS:
www.tinyurl.com/artandwriting2020
One winner is to be honored with a special award and a $100 grant.
Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center reserves the right to reprint and exhibit all entries.
For more information about the Peace Center, please visit our website at: www.ourpeacecenter.org
or call the Center office: (925) 933-7850
For more information about the Peace Center, please visit our website at: www.ourpeacecenter.org
or call the Center office: (925) 933-7850
