Essay Contest

This spring, we invite current and newly graduated (up to 5 years) students to submit an essay about gender equality and the 28th Amendment (Equal Rights). Pick a writing prompt, research your topic, organize your thoughts, and get writing!
Submissions due Saturday, May 15th - submit here!

Writing Prompts

• Have you experienced gender discrimination? Share your story and reflect on changes needed in our system to prevent others from experiencing the same.

• America was founded on a document that purposefully excluded the majority of Americans (women, people of color, immigrants, non-property owners) and even today most Americans live at the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination. How can America better live up to its value of “liberty and justice for all” using the 28th Amendment?

• America is the 10th most dangerous country in the world for women. How will the recognition of the 28th Amendment impact our culture and relationships with the international community or under international law?

• How should individuals ensure our government (police, prosectors, judges, lawmakers, and policy makers) upholds “equality of rights under the law” (healthcare, criminal justice reform, childcare, pregnancy discrimination, etc.)?

• Find a recent news story that shocked you and examine how systemic gender inequality played a role in that story.

• Not loving any of the above? Develop your own writing prompt about gender equality and answer it.

Eligibility

• The submitted essay must be an original essay, not previously published elsewhere, submitted by the author.

• Judges will compare submissions within each of the four groups:
  • High school students
  • College students
  • Graduate school (including law schools) students
  • Recent graduates (students who graduated in the last 5 years)

• Judges will review essays using the checklist from: Writing to Influence

• Each contestant can choose one of the following essay lengths
  • Short: 150 - 300 words
  • Medium: 300 - 999 words
  • Long: 1,000+ words

• Submissions Due: Saturday, May 15, 2021 (submit HERE)

• Prizes for first place in each category (12 categories)
  • $50 for short essays
  • $100 for medium essays
  • $150 for long essays