This week, AG Racine announced the winners for OAG and Project Create DC’s Artists v. Hate contest, which launched in November 2020 as part of AG Racine’s national initiative countering hate. The contest empowered DC youth to stand up against hate, promote social justice, and inspire change through art.
We were blown away by more than 50 submissions we received from District youth, and on Thursday, April 1, OAG honored the top winners and honorable mentions in a public celebration. Thank you to everyone who participated and lifted up their voices through art.
The Winners
Nicole Vasquez (Ward 4, 15 years old)
Nicole chose to do a drawing on Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy who was shot and killed by a white police officer in Cleveland, Ohio in 2014.
When asked what inspired her art, she said:
“All the events that happened in 2020 relating to racism, especially the people who raised their voices and spoke out on racism and hate. I looked up to their strength and confidence.”
When asked what advice she would give to her peers, she said:
“Raise your voice and speak out against hate or things that you think are not good and educate others on how hate is not good for the world.”
Donnay Brown (Ward 8, 17 years old)
Donnay created a painting of a young girl with headphones, listening to music, tuning out the world behind her that is burning down.
When asked what inspired her art, she said:
“In school, my peers talk about devastating events like shootings, robberies, and murders. They talk about it like it’s just another day. These events should not be normalized, but they are.”
When asked what advice she would give to her peers, she said:
“If you feel passionate about something than you should be loud about it. Nothing should be downplayed.”
The Honorable Mentions
Camille Pair (Ward 5, 15 years old)
"I was inspired to create this piece because of the Black Lives Matter protests and the hate inflicted on my community and also the queer community because I found many of the US hate crimes were inflicted against black trans women many of whom were teenagers and some younger than me. I was inspired to give them all a voice."
Ifa Tella-Swan (Ward 5, Age 15 years old)
"What inspired my art piece is the injustice that Black people go through daily in America and other parts of the world. I wanted to convey my sadness about the injustice in words. The advice I would give to others to combat hate is to make sure you learn your history. No matter what a hateful or racist person says, you will always know your true history."
Cire J. Wilson (Ward 8, 13 years old)
"'I Hate it Here' is a Mixed Media Art piece that represents the social feelings of my community due to the homicides that continues to remind us that hate is real. “Hate is a choice and the only way to change the world is to change ourselves. We must eliminate negative self-identity."
Kylie Smith (Ward 2, 16 years old)
When asked what inspired her art, she said:
"What inspired my art piece was my want to create a dance that made me feel hope, optimism, and courage when I dance it. One should feel more positive and empowered than before and more prepared to face obstacles that one might face throughout the day. Advice I would give to others that aspire to combat hate is that one should always be optimistic when it comes to facing obstacles in life. One cannot counter hate without love."
Watch Kylie's full dance video here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cw9_bS2n_rHPIjOXcSKvnW5zPSTBu-k-/view
A video of the winners is viewable here: https://youtu.be/Lq2QSC38Nrk
A video of the honorable mentions is viewable here: https://youtu.be/m-7R1eNlK9A