Equality looks like… confidential sexual health care, staying in school as a pregnant or parenting teen, refusing a search by the police, opting-out of military recruitment, an education free from bullying, occupying public space, a fair hearing when facing a suspension, bringing a same-sex partner to prom, fair treatment by school safety officers, remaining silent… or speaking up!

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We want to know what issues matter to you most.

Choose a topic - racial justice, freedom of speech, immigrants’ rights, LGBTQ rights or something else – then make some noise: And let NYC hear your voice. Tell the NYCLU what equality looks like to you...

Cash prizes! No topic is off limits. All mediums are accepted.

Deadline to submit is Wednesday, May 1, 2013. Educators get prizes for submitting the most student entries!

To SUBMIT ONLINE, email your entry to contest@nyclu.org. Click the button below to download the entry form and instructions as a PDF.

To SUBMIT VIA MAIL, mail in your entry to:
NYCLU Contest
125 Broad St., 19th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Complete rules:

  • You must be 10 to 21 years old to enter the contest.
  • You must reside in New York City.
  • Entries must be original and cannot be returned
  • Group entries accepted
  • Current and former NYCLU/ACLU staff, clients and board members, and their relatives, are not eligible.
  • We’ll accept the following formats
    • An essay or short story up to 1,000 words
    • A poem or spoken word piece up to 3 pages, or 3 minutes long, submitted in writing, CD/DVD, as an electric audio file or on uploaded on YouTube.
    • A poster, cartoon, painting, collage, drawing, etc., designed by computer or by hand, submitted by mail or electronically as a jpeg or pdf
    • A video, song or public service announcement up to 3 minutes long submitted via an electronic link (such as YouTube) or on CD/DVD
  • All mediums will be accepted. If you have questions, please contact contest@nyclu.org