I’d like to give special thanks to all participants and supporters as well as guest judges Donney Rose and Benjamin Washington. Each year I look forward to reading every submission and sharing the wonderful poems and essays with all of you. This year is perhaps the most diverse, and we have the largest number of Editor’s Picks ever. That means 2018 contestants really explored the subject of colorism from a variety of perspectives. I know you’ve been patiently waiting to see the results, so without further ado…
Youth Poetry Division
1st Place: “Hands” by Anvitha Soordelu
2nd Place: “Paper Bag Blues” by Ashley Tate
Youth Essay Division
1st Place: “Dipped in Vantablack” by Stephanie Hasford
2nd Place: “(Un)fair and Lovely” by Isha Sharma
Adult Poetry Division
1st Place: “The Day I Called My Grandmother Ugly” by Andreen Hodge
2nd Place: “Souls Within” by Monique Desir
Adult Essay Division
1st Place: “Biting My Tongue” by Nicollette Davis
2nd Place: “Untitled” by Harrison II
Editor’s Picks
Hafsah Abdur-Rahman
Ebonie Adams
Angie Baker
Brianna Bennett
LaMario Bennett
Kathryn Bertram
shalyce black
Nephthalie Bonny
Kiora Brooks
Stephanie Brown
Camille Bruce
Daniel Burris
Jennifer Charlera
Jessica Christion
kayla curry
Azalia Cyphers
Nicollette Davis
Anique Edwards
Keshona Fletcher
Amber Flores
Morgan Frazier
Blossom Graham
Janasia Graham
Dawn Gray
Aisha Guiles
Tisha Gupta
Michaela Gyasi-Agyei
Anya Hardeman
Stephanie Hasford
Dr. Mary Hendrickson
Tiffany Hennings
Alejandro Hernandez
Flor Hernandez
Jonica Hill
Andreen Hodge
Brandina Jean-Jacques
Jorge Jimenez
Aditi John
Jalesha Johnson
Journey Johnson
Allen Jordann
Candice Kenard
Karen King
Miah La Rue
Chyna Leopoldo
Kashish Lewis
Julia Llanos-Boyd
Iliana Lujan
Danielle Marks
Sophonie Merisnor
Sophia Moore
Sienna Morgan
Claudia Nava
Kat Nix
Vanessa Ojeda-Gomez
Sara Parker
La’Daisha Pfister
D’jatarya Powell
Destiny Rainge
Zaria Rather
Muneera Samie
Starrlese Scott
Deon Self
Isha Sharma
Angelique Short
Bobbi Simmons
Toyesha Simpson
Lynita Smith
Madison Spencer
Lilith Tijerina
Anthony Treadaway
Elizabeth Upshur
Shania Weaver
Olivia Wilks
Keyuanna Williams
Tajinnea Wilson
Breeanna Wright
Edoka Writes
You can read these essays and poems in the forthcoming anthology. First and second place entries will also be available to read online once the book is published this Fall.