January 2022 Winners

“My piece is a poem I wrote about my struggles with self-harm. The piece is specifically about dealing with the reactions of my parents in regards to finding out my first time and my relapses. I think this relates to hope because while the poem does read as something very serious, the fact that I am still here today and have worked through my issues enough to share them with the world shows that it is possible to get better.”

2021 was a year without hugs. It denied us of smiles, and it denied us the ability to personally connect with one another. This new year I hope to see hugs- and with it, happiness for myself, for my friends and family, and for my community. Hugs are warm and comforting- and I hope that soon, we are able to experience this without worry of illness or infection from the virus.

My submission tells my hopes for 2022. The idea was to visually show the world being fixed. In my drawing we see the world with a smile on his face as a mask starts to tear away. At the top the numbers 2022 are fixing and putting the world back together. I believe 2022 has a lot of potential to help everyone stay positive. During 2020 to 2021 I felt like Everything was falling apart with the pandemic and I’m hoping that in 2022 we can all be fixed and celebrate by spending time with our loved ones.

“I wanted to share with people the different ways that help calm me. Also, I wanted to tell people that being happy with yourself is very important.”

“Our PSA video is about overcoming the struggle of not being able to socialize or do normal things with our peers because of the pandemic. We encourage the audience to get vaccinated so that things can finally go back to normal in 2022. This relates back to our hopes for 2022 which is being able to see our friends normally and having a real graduation ceremony in person.”

In my artwork, I tried to convey my hopes in 2022. I hope that I can grow as a photographer and as a gardener. As a hobby, I grow many plants(including strawberries, blueberries, and marigolds) in my little garden. Whenever I plant something new, It gives me something to hope/look forward to because the plants growth are a direct result of how I take care of the plants. I wanted to convey growth through an artistic way, so I had branches on top of my subject to represent personal growth. In similar way to gardening, personal growth is a direct result of how you act and how you look at things.

“This piece is about women’s reproductive rights. The tattoos represent the choice she can make about her body and life. She can choose a tattoo but may not have choices about her uterus.”

“Our submission brings justice to the kids and teens of color who get kidnapped or taken everyday; no one ever speaks about them, and they rarely receive any news coverage. Furthermore, if they were white, then way more people would have heard about them.”

“In my essay I discuss the discrimination my family and I have faced as Asian Americans. Growing up in a rural city I faced many racial injustices starting in kindergarten. I then learned my father went through the same problems when he arrived in California at 10 years old from the Philippines. I chose this category to bring the discussion of Asian hate to light. I feel that many Asian Americans’ stories are silenced and dismissed in American history.”

“We made this film to show how racist comments can harm people.”

Throughout the nearly two years that this pandemic has taken place, it has become very clear that wearing masks has been life-saving. If we all wear our masks correctly, we can end this pandemic. The subject looks strongly straight at the viewer as if to say "You can do this too."

My artwork shows the struggles of a migrant worker carrying the Earth on his back. As he walks the rain clouds water and fill the rows of soil with fruits and vegetables. The migrant worker carrying the Earth on his back resembles the hard work they push themselves to do everyday to make a living but they also play a role in keeping families fed with the food they produce. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic they pushed themselves to work to support their families. The migrant workers are vital for human life for they produce the fruits and vegetables humans need to live. Most migrant workers are overlooked and are paid very low wages when they are contributing to the earth and the people in an impactful way.

As we embark on a new year, it is essential that we both internalize and inscribe our annual goals. 2021 was a year full of sorrow, distress, and confusion. However, by compiling several achievable goals in one cohesive and hopeful video, audiences can reflect on how their resilience from 2021 has carried into the new year. Whether it be emphasizing the need for self-care or promoting environmental justice, accomplishing these feats will certainly instill more hope in our community. After all, the belief in hope is one of many overarching changes people want to see in 2022.

The entry illustrates several emotions such as being bubbly, and gives the viewer an enhanced experience. Being in times of distress for several people, I wanted to convey a more upbeat experience, than a video highlighting the negative issues revolving around the world.

This TikTok is what people are hopeful for 2022. Hope is an important thing to have, because without it, you could lose yourself. That is why I made this video to show other peoples hopes, even if they are little, it can impact you life majorly.

Hope Through the pandemic and overcoming stress by seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

I want to be able to help with saving the environment and help with any mental health issues that anybody is going through such as depression, signs of suicide, and thinking about the future.

My video shows someone who feels lonely and has no hope. Because of this they are not comfortable speaking or opening up to their friends and family. However with the new year and being slowly coming out of the pandemic this person is starting to see some hope which leads them to open up to their friends and loved ones who are super supportive.