Monthly Prompt Judging

Dear Judges,

The “I will, I am, I will be” media challenge was open to current or formerly incarcerated youth and young adults in California and offered in partnership with the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR). Youth ages 12 to 25 were asked to reflect on how their lived experience has shaped them into the person they are today and their hope for the future. They were asked to create art (in any form) that helps themselves and others who may not know them understand their story, their growth, their strengths, and the hope they carry into the future.

Youth were asked to creatively explore how their past and present self are connected to their future self and the person they hope to become. Here are some ideas we shared with them to get started:

• “I was” Who they were in the past (their experiences, challenges, people and places that are a part of their history.)
• “I am” Who they are now (the strengths, lessons or talents that come from their lived experience and how they make them who they are today.) Celebrate their growth and help their community and others understand their story and see the hope, strength and possibility inside of them.
• “I will be” Who they hope to be in the future (their hopes and dreams for their future self and the community they want to be a part of.) How can they use what they’ve learned from their past and present to help create that community?
• Write a letter to “Dear Future Me/Dear Future We” to remind themselves of how far they have come, what they have overcome and experienced, and their hope for the “future you”. Use this as an opportunity to send their future self a hopeful message that reminds them (and others) about their strength and that they are capable of change, growth and healing.

* A special note about the submissions:

Please be aware that the artwork you are reviewing was created by incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth. Many of these pieces reflect their lived experiences and contain intense themes, including violence, child abuse, neglect, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). We ask that you approach these pieces with empathy and sensitivity. Also, please keep in mind that some of these young artists worked under institutional constraints with limited access to standard art supplies, tools, and resources. When scoring, we encourage you to prioritize depth, emotional impact, and expression over technical perfection or material quality. For resources and to learn how everyone has a role to play in helping young people heal from ACES, visit Livebeyondca.org

We encourage you to seek personal support if you become troubled by the content of this category. If you experience an emotional crisis, please call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7) or the California Warm Line at (833) 845-7415.

At any point if you are experiencing technical difficulties with the website, or have questions regarding the category, please email shanti@youthcreatingchange.org or call (619) 786-5622.