Keeping in line with the philosophies of Martin Luther King, Jr., the University of Idaho Ubuntu Committee will host a writing and art contest honoring his work in the Civil Rights Movement.
For the past six years, faculty, staff and students on the committee have selected a quote from King that best fits with the year’s chosen theme. For 2018, the committee decided on economic justice and poverty, reading, “The curse of poverty has no justification in our age … The time has come for us to civilize ourselves by the total, indirect and immediate abolition of poverty … The solution to poverty is to abolish it directly by … the guaranteed national income.”
Last year’s quote was related to the importance of resilience while people work toward social justice.
Cindy Fuhrman | Courtesy
“This contest is designed to encourage students to be creative, to think critically and to engage in problem solving around social justice and equity,” Ubuntu Chair Jan Johnson said. “Students can express their ideas about this in any kind of artistic format, as well as any kind of essay or poetry.”
Cindy Fuhrman, project coordinator of Indigenous Knowledge for Effective Education (IKEEP), and Hana Johnson, assistant professor of management and human resources, both volunteer for Ubuntu and will be co-chairing the judging stage of the contest. According to Jan, Ubuntu elected a subcommittee to run the contest this year. This subcommittee — which includes Fuhrman and Hana — is responsible for organizing the contest, from choosing the theme to judging.
Winners of the contest will have their work displayed at the 2019 Black History Month Keynote event, hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs. In the past, winners of the contest had their work displayed at the annual Shades of Black event, run by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Black Student Union.
In addition to the honor of having their work displayed, winners will receive a $500 scholarship. Honorable mention recipients will receive $100 scholarships.
“It’s wonderful to read the written work that students create, and it’s really a joy to see how a profound quote can lead to creative and imaginative artwork from our students,” Jan said. “It’s also great to work with a group of people like Ubuntu who want to work with others to inspire justice and work with students who share their ideas so profoundly.”
Jan said she hopes the contributors enjoy working on their projects and the satisfaction of solving societal problems. She said she also hopes the contributors and audience members recognize the importance of these issues.
Jan Johnson | Courtesy
“We gain meaning in life by working on important problems,” Jan said. “That’s what makes life worth living.”
Jan encourages all students to submit and attend the Black History Month Keynote.
According to the Ubuntu website, entries are due by 4:30 p.m. Jan. 28. Essays and poetry should be under 1,000 words and submitted to Hana by emailing them to [email protected]. All art should be submitted in person to Ian Leibbrandt in Room 101 of the Menard Law Building.