February 2023 Winners

My art shows three people of different races all together. I’d like to think it shows that regardless of skin or culture, what really matters is your kindness and personality.

Our piece is a visual and interactive art piece which is documented as a single photo collage for the purposes of judging. The piece consists of a path covered with chalk footprints as well as quotes that exemplify the themes of hope and justice. The mission of our organization is to provide mental health support in a youth-driven, community based manner, so here we focused on emphasizing the importance of unity and community to create hope and justice. Every trail of footprints represents a member of our community who worked on the project, building and walking the path of hope together. The quotes we chose were relevant to individuals and the group as a whole, and were intended to reflect our sentiments on mental health. The piece serves as a reminder to us that we should always be hopeful because there is a large, passionate community around us, and that together we can create our own justice by breaking down the stigma around mental health. We hope that others take away the same message, and we created the piece so that it is visible from the sidewalk to passerby.

In my design I wanted to show that there is more than one way to look at something. In life we can choose to focus on the positive or we can focus on the negative. Every day is an opportunity to see the good.

Throughout my school years I have struggle myself with people putting labels on me: I’m the SPED kid, I’m not able to do this or hearing I can’t do that or complete a task because of my challenges with ADHD. I also experienced recently cultural discrimination at school by peers because of being Latina, because of my parents immigrants roots, or because I’m an English Learner still at school. When I worked on this piece, I just wanted to let my feelings and emotions out, and let the world and myself know that I’m free of labels, I can be more than 1 thing, I can be so many things and I can be good at them. I’m aware of my challenges and labels don’t define me.

The concept behind my artwork is fast fashion and the many cases of abuse to which it is connected to. What my artwork represents is a teen who is saddened by the effect of fast fashion, but ignorant of their growing contributions to it. A figure with flowing hair is contrasted by the more explicit forms of fabric despite herself being made of fabric. She is the color of the ocean to represent its vast depth. This is representative of the growing production of clothing that gets larger every year; it almost seems that we’re drowning in a mountain of clothes. This is further enhanced by my chosen medium, consisting of fibrous materials (fabric and yarn) to emulate the materials used in the textile industry. The figure is closing her eyes to represent her ignorance of the problem as it grows around her. Despite the clothing, like I was alluding to earlier she is a part of the problem as well. Her rapid consumerism is taking hold of her life and hurting her simultaneously.

My drawing is about the way we see nature and the way we see the world overall. I feel strong when I’m near nature because it is peaceful and I can think more clearly.

I wanted to create an art piece that displayed what I’ve learned about Mental Health in my Leadership class so I painted what I’ve filled my mind with! I know I have help from my school and family, and I know that beautiful things can come from seeking help.

In this submission, I wanted to show how I can be more than one especially if it involves my race. I’m Mexican-American and have always been torn apart by both nationalities and I wanted to express how it impacts me and how I feel about it.

My entry is about students at my school and the diversity that we have. We are all different and we are proud of it. We are “more than one” but we are still together and we support each other.

This is a song that I wrote that shares the hope that I have in Jesus Christ. I share my state of mind before accepting Him, the hopelessness I felt. Then I share my life change and the peace and hope Christ made for me in my life.

I created this poem because there are so many labels and everyone is constantly labeling each other. I want people to know that even though people can can label them, they don’t have to be that label. I believe everyone can change like myself. Growing up people always labeled me as a bad person, getting in trouble and failing in school. Now I am a much better person, staying out of trouble and getting “A’s” and “B’s” in school.

My submission relates to the required criteria because I start with a simple drum beat and add more to make it sound like a whole song/riff and then I have captions that say just like adding more than one sound to make a beat completely different. You can be more than one friend, son/daughter, or somebody that helps others in need to make them feel like they are more than one.

This art piece is basically talking about dreams and reality, the world the genders have come to, and what the community wants to see. I want fortune. As a genderqueer, I demand it. But I am only 15, so I need to have a small voice or I will be too “mean”. There is only a few people who have had a voice in the community. But, I was raised to have a small voice. So I found it better to write my voice. This is my voice, right before your eyes.

For this month’s theme of “More than one”, I wanted to create a piece that expresses my personal experience with being mixed-race, Japanese and African-American. It features a portrait of my father and I during a Japanese holiday called “Shichi-go-san” which takes place in the Fall, with a gradient of Autumn leaves falling in the background. The levels and transitional shades in the gradient symbolizes how mixed-race people shouldn’t be put into limiting, harmful boxes and labeled as one or the other, but instead be acknowledged as both, or “More than one.”

Growing up, the number of Chinese kids at my school could be counted on one hand. I knew I was different, but I yearned so badly to conform. I refused to learn Chinese writing, I brought exclusively “American” food for lunch, and I never ever spoke a word of Mandarin in front of my elementary classmates. It wasn’t until my family moved to where we are now, where the Asian population accounts for a quarter of my school’s population, did I learn to accept and celebrate my family’s culture. My new friends were actually interested in Chinese culture, shared parts of their own culture, and helped me realize that being Chinese-American was nothing to be ashamed of. There have also been many Chinese and Asian community leaders that I met throughout my community involvement, showcasing that the stereotypically “meek” race is capable of being strong leaders. As a leader on multiple fronts myself, their work is very inspiring. The result of these experiences is that, I have grown an air of confidence in proclaiming that I am a Chinese-American girl. This year, at my senior prom, I will don a traditional Chinese qipao, which I have portrayed myself wearing in my painting. Girls before me inspired me to obtain the traditional garb, and hopefully, my dress this year will inspire other young girls to flaunt their own traditions in the future. The Asian community has pushed me to be unapologetically Chinese, with the security of an entire community behind me. And so unlike Mulan, when I look into the mirror, I know exactly who that girl staring back at me is; an unwavering Chinese-American who is proud to be “more than one”.

I chose this illustration and poem because I believe it reflects my current life. I am serving time, and I am losing precious time with my family, friends and loved ones. I know I am a better person and when I get out I promise myself that I won’t waste anymore of my time. I also don’t want people to look at me like another criminal or problem. I want to be a force of positivity to all people around me.

I chose this painting because it is a quiet and peaceful forest at night. When I am stressed out I think about a forest like my illustration to help calm down and refocus. This empowers me and makes me feel strong and in control of my life. I am used to being around a lot of people and chaos, so thinking of a quiet forest alone gives me comfort.

My entry depicts an Asian-American person holding the Asexual (or Ace) flag in their hand. They have the South Vietnam (or Republic of Vietnam) flag on their cheek, with the words “Representation Matters” at the top, which is also what I’ve named my submission. The theme of February’s prompt is “More than One”, and I feel like this phrase describes my identity perfectly. I am not only a Vietnamese American. I am not only an Asexual. I am all of those things. The idea of representation is a big deal to me, and I want my drawing to empower and inspire other people who relate to my background.

I chose to enter my painting and poem because I want to represent my culture. I am a proud Mexican American woman, who wants to prove I can do anything I choose. Currently, I am in jail and labeled as a bad person. Now I want to prove that I am not a bad person, and I want to prove that I am a good person. I have learned a lot from my stay at Kirby, and now I am willing to do anything to make myself a better person. I know in my heart that I am strong enough to change, and if I put my mind to it I can do anything.

I chose my painting of butterflies because I believe it represents my growth and hopes for a better future. I’ve been struggling my whole life, lost and confused trying to find my way out but I was intercepted by drugs and negative influences. I felt like I was the weakest out of all the caterpillars. My family labeled me as a “troublemaker” as a “follower” as a “useless person”. Currently I am in my cocoon being incarcerated and I am becoming stronger, growing, learning and destroying my labels. I know once I find my purpose and passion in life things will change and I won’t have to rely on drugs or any harmful situations. I am trying to find my myself, getting myself together, maturing, and ready to have a beautiful existence. Once I leave Kirby, I will be like a beautiful butterfly. I will be smarter, stronger, independent and free.

For my entry, I wanted to show how online communities can support others when they don’t receive support from the people around them due to how they identify. The colorful hearts are coming from the phone to represent the support from online communities while everything else is colorless and dull to contrast the hearts and show that the character is feeling negative emotions. There’s so much negativity everywhere about other people identifying how they want and it could be from strangers online or family members. I see and hear so many negative comments about people in the LGBTQ community and it makes me upset because those people leaving the comments genuinely hate a group of people because they want to be themselves. Being in an online community where everyone is supportive definitely helps me when I lose hope.

Lots of things make up our identities, whether it’s our sexual orientation, gender expression, our ancestry, or if we choose to put a label to it at all. My entry is about sharing the things that we identify with through media, to show others that we are not one trait, and that we are all individuals who are more than one label. Through the height of the Stop Asian Hate movement, I noticed that there were more people who looked like me appearing on TV through either commercials or who made their presence more known on social media. This brought me to the revelation that representation does matter, that we are not this monolith that started the pandemic. We can show others that there is more to our character than just where we may have come from.

All in a Day’s Work is a piece dedicated to my identity. I’m a hard worker, working my hardest to realize my dreams and ambitions. Within the art piece is me, working at my desk in the future, stretching because I’m tired. I think it perfectly captures one of my defining qualities, my pure will to do whatever it takes to get to where I want to be. Even when I’m tired and I feel like the world is against me, I don’t stop working. I persevere, and I don’t stop until I’ve reached my goals. And so, All in a Day’s Work is a celebration piece that appreciates the things I’ve done for myself to be the person I am right now. It’s an everyday battle, and I will always win.

My art shows what inspires me or what I want to do.

It describes who I am, what I can do, and that I got a strong mindset.

This shows more than one thing about myself.

Presented in front raised off the canvas i have drawn a representation of me and who others perceive me to be in black and white. I look dull and lifeless with a stoic face and almost bored expression. the color represents me and who i am. both the fluidness of the color showing my gender and sexualitity being fluid and not something one expects. The different colors and their symbolism illustrate the meanings of what people think of me after they’ve gotten to know me the colors and the textures i bring out to them about who i am to them and what makes me me. this relates back to the prompt as to my pride as well as how i feel empowered in myself is by the encouragement of those around me while keeping in mind the don’t judge a book by its cover.

My submission represents how as an Asian American it can sometimes be hard when you hear about all the Asian hate going around. This photo shows how even when the world seems dark, I know that there is always someone who will stand with me.

This submission is saying that you don’t have to be like everyone else, and you are not like everyone else. Every single person in the world is different. Why would you like to be like everyone else when you could be more than one.

As the shadows in the image show, on the outside we are all very similar, we all look like the same silhouettes with just simple differences. But sometimes it is important to look beyond what unites everyone and instead look at what sets us apart from the world. Whether it be culture, gender, sexuality, or something else entirely, there are ways we identify ourselves every day. And while these things might set us apart from everyone they also bring us closer to those who share the same identification factors, allowing us to build communities and families with those with who we can connect and relate to.

My entry relates back to the required content submission criteria because it shows and represents how no matter who you are there will always be a helping hand by your side and you are never alone. Its shows that people can join together and be more than one.

My entry shows that I am from more than one country and that I am unique in my very own way. Looking into the eye symbolizes that if you get to know someone and their personality, you can get to know their history and where they’re from. My eye shows that I am from Germany, Wales, Jamaica, and America.

My art entry is a picture that honors Frida Kahlo. She was really special because even though she had a lot of problems when she was young, she grew up to be a famous artist. My picture shows how amazing she was and how she showed that you can be many things at once. I want people to see my picture and feel inspired to be proud of who they are, no matter what challenges they face.

In my drawing the infinity symbol represents endless possibilities. The different sketches illustrate that I’m a complex person that cannot easily be defined within some limit or boundary. For example, it is often said that girls don’t go camping or hiking, but I choose to live beyond those labels.

To start off with My name is Aylee Martinez and I chose to use canva and I decided to show on my project the even if your Any different culture or race that you shouldn’t try to be any different race or culture just because you’re in embarrassed.So,I wanted to show that even if any race,you’re not Alone because there is many more people with your race around the world.Lastly,My project shows that My race is being Mexican and that I’m not ashamed to be an Mexican because I should be Proud of my culture and Race,but what I’m trying to show is that you should always be proud of your race and culture as well to not think what other people are saying.

My art piece represents the reality of how easily opioids can be disguised as pills letting viewers know how it’s easier to hide dangerous substances within something that seems harmless. However, now pills have become more and more common to become a way for teens to get high, but little do teens know it is dangerous to take medication from a non-medical professional. Which leads to many overdosing or trying to harm themselves to escape from their problems. It is not worth it. The duct tape represents the prevention which is to not consume anything that hasn’t been handled in a safe manner or prescribed by a medical professional. The purpose of this art piece is to give a visual representation of how opioids can fit into a normal scene, and the prevention is to not consume the pill.

It’s Up To Us defines the responsibility youth have to help their peers understand the issues surrounding opioid crisis. Knowing what you’re facing and how to respond to it can be the difference between life and death. The leadership students at David A Brown have committed to reaching the youth of California by presenting this important information from their hearts in hopes that they can save a life. It matters because everyone matters.

My artwork, “Strings Attached” regards the strings that come with being in an environment with drug abuse. Often, high schoolers face peer pressure. They face manipulation and gaslighting that leads them to drug use. My artwork symbolizes the manipulation that is often behind the abuse of drugs and the effects that come with it.

I made a poster about the dangers of fentanyl.

We have been doing this TikTok videos for a while at school about dumb stuff and when approached by our ITC Advisor to do this we figured it would be fun and easy. Drugs are a problem, we don’t have access to our restrooms because of the problem.

Mental health is affected by drugs. Decided to focus on opioid use since we had the lesson plan on them but figured most people have heard of it but don’t know the facts.

I chose this category because I am a shy person so painting is an easier way for me to communicate and painting helps me in expressing my emotions more.