2021 Honorees

Student: Joey Gales

KNEA Sponsor: Morning Pruitt

School: Eudora High School

Joey Gales

My entry is a mixed media painting of a group of individuals in monochrome as well as a larger African American woman on the right side. On the top left is a sun, and the bottom left is a moon. Strewn throughout there are flowers! When I heard about this prompt I got super excited! I already had the canvas with the woman on it and this just inspired me to add to it! I wanted to add plenty of diverse people because that is what this is about! I feel like justice means that everyone is equal but still different, so I tried to showcase that every individual is still an individual with vibrant colors! I am drawn to color, so while I didn't choose it for this, I feel like it shows the excellence in everyone! I hope that when people see this piece they feel unified. We all are under the same sun and moon, after all! I also want to recognize that racial justice isn't the only type of justice I wanted to include. While my color choices signify each individual, they also signify the LGBTQ+ community. I included a puzzle piece in blue for autism awareness, as well! I think my main goal is to show people that humans are, well, human. I want someone to look at this and see something so utterly human that they can't see it any other way. Justice should be about elevating the humanity of people and treating them as humans, rather than some other. I hope you all enjoyed my piece, I am so excited to see some of the others! I hope you all have a wonderful day, night, and year!

Student: Bao Le

KNEA Sponsor: Jennifer Zimmerli

School: Olathe Northwest High School

Bao Le

My entry empowers justice because it brings awareness to the hatred and racism the Asian and Asian-American communities have faced in recent times. Due to Covid-19, there would be a rise in hate crimes in Asian communities, specifically to the elders, because Covid-19 was stated as a "Chinese Disease". The Asian community would become the main target of the hatred and would be blamed for starting the pandemic. I want my piece to stand up for the Asian community and bring the community together to stand up against hate within the nation.

Student: Rubie Yost

KNEA Sponsor: Traci Jennings

School: Cheylin High School

Alexandra Hanton

My entry was created in order to inspire others to feel empowered to listen to people in need. The words "I see my face in yours" represent the sameness between all people no matter what color, age, gender, or sexuality. This sentence also puts in perspective that other people of color or oppressed groups can put themselves in that same place as some who is going through abuse. This idea of oppression can be shared by people no matter how similar or different they look. The words, " I see your struggle, I hear your pain," are calling out to the person suffering, trying to bring them comfort in the fact that they have solidarity for them and are acknowledging their hardships. The painting features a transgender man of color, with prominent scars on his chest from breast reduction surgery, and two large wounds to symbolize the abuse and mistreatment oppressed people often experience. The man has no facial features, only another face on top of his of another skin tone, once again reiterating that there is solidarity between people, who experience the same treatment. 

This peace empowers justice by asking people to put themselves in someone else's shoes and to take into account the hardships some people face daily. With my entry, I hope to inspire people to reach out to the people who face injustices and to let them know that they are heard, they are seen, and they are being fought for.

Student: Aleko Khundadze & Ben Jackson

KNEA Sponsor: Angie Powers

School: Olathe Northwest High School

Aleko Khundadze & Ben Jackson

Our entry empowers justice by raising awareness about those who have fallen victim to the horrors of police brutality. It also reminds those who are standing up against it to always show love and patience, even when your enemy is being violent.

Student: Alliance Uwamahoro

KNEA Sponsor: LeAnne Richardson

School: F.L. Schlagle High School

Alliance Uwamahoro

My voice allows others to speak up.

Student: Leah Pal

KNEA Sponsor: Angie Powers

School: Olathe Northwest High School

Leah Pal

I chose to write a speech because I feel that this topic directly effects me. My race has up till now almost defined my life and who I am as a person. Through my speech I introduce the idea that we are all equal, after all we are all just human. Our race does not define who we are. We our free to be or own unique selves. In writing it, I felt empowered myself, like I could be my own person and not my race. I think it is cool to get a student's perspective on racial equality, because most people believe that racial inequality only happens to adults, but that is not true. People throw around slurs daily directed at others and I feel that all people need is a little push to stand up and get justice for themselves.

Student: Ben Shabani

KNEA Sponsor: LeAnne Richardson

School: F.L. Schlagle High School

Ben Shabani

I first saw death in war at the age of 10.  Gun violence kills and no one can return from that event.  God rest all souls and thank you for allowing my voice to be heard.