Union County K-12 Artists Sought For Juneteenth Design Contests

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Social Justice Matters, Inc. (SJM) of Scotch Plains is inviting K-12 student artists in Union County to create designs for the organization's 2021 Juneteenth celebration.

Designs should reflect this year's SJM Juneteenth theme – Roots and Wings: The Art and Tradition of Storytelling and the Black Experience.

"The theme celebrates the importance of telling one's own story. Roots ground us by letting us know where we have come from, and wings give us hope, direction and the ability to fly," said Tashira Wheeler, chair of SJM's Juneteenth 2021 Committee.

The three contests will run from April 26 through May 20. Grades K-5 will create a design for a T-shirt; grades 6-8, for promotional materials such as cups and golf memorabilia; and Grades 9-12, for the cover of a commemorative ad journal.

Winners in each category will be honored during the celebration with a $25 gift card and other prizes.

Click here for contest guidelines, rules and entry submission information.

Juneteenth, short for "June Nineteenth," marks the date in 1865 when Texas became the last state to announce the Emancipation Proclamation, which President Abraham Lincoln issued two-and-a-half years earlier.

SJM of Scotch Plains is a 12-year-old, grassroots nonprofit organization committed to active inquiry into matters of race and creation of equitable communities. SJM serves as a resource for community concerns, and facilitates meaningful discussions and action about race. For additional information, visit socialjusticematters.org.

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