Youth Voices Contest

Announcing the Winners of the 2021 Youth Voices Contest

For the Youth Voices 2021 Contest, YOU(TH) MATTER and Strategies for Youth asked contestants to think about how policing and democracy are connected. The questions we posed included:

  • What do you want police to understand to help them uphold the democratic principle of “by the people, for the people”?
  • How do you think policing might help realize the promise of a democracy of the people and for the people?
  • What role can policing play in promoting justice and equality?
  • How might local police work with community members and community organizations to help better realize the promise of our democracy?

A team of 14 judges reviewed the entries to the Writing and Arts categories and selected three winners from each. Honorable mention and a cash prize was awarded to the single entrant in the video category whose film adhered to the contest’s rules.

Here are the winners:

Category: ART

1st Place

Jade Duffas
Age 17
Brooklyn, NY

Artwork and Artist Statement »

2nd Place

Rozlin Genc
Age 17
Rocky Point, LI, NY

Artwork and Artist Statement »

3rd Place

Nick Hernandez
Age 14
Utah

Artwork and Artist Statement »

Category: Writing

1st Place

Shreya Daggolu
Age 16
Jackson Heights, NY

Read Essay »

2nd Place

Sebastian Valencia
Age 14
Queens, NY

Read Essay »

3rd Place

Rhonasha George 
Age 16
USA

Read Essay »

Category: video

Honorable Mention

Hannah Hartman
Age 14
Leominster, MA

Artist Statement »

Thank you!

YOU(TH) MATTER and SFY send a big thank you to the judges, who represent parents, law enforcement, lawyers, artists, and youth from across the country: Aditi Goel, James Golden, Laura Jenny, John Kelly, Deborah Lashley*, Charmin Leon, Alyshia Perrin*, Nanda Prabhakar*, Samira Rice, Kim Simon, Leslie Starobin, Hannah Sussman, Kristen Wheeler, Teresa E. Zabala

*Indicates membership on SFY’s Board.
** Indicates leaders from YOU(TH) MATTER.

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