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[ Spring 2021 OUSD STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST ]
SPEAKING OUT on ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE
Our community has been heartbroken by the horrific acts of violence against Asian communities in Oakland, the United States and the world over the past year. We call on OUSD students to lift up your voice and share your ideas about how we can address and end anti-Asian violence.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Respond to the questions below and submit your essay in the body of an e-mail, no more than 850 words maximum, to lailan.huen@ousd.org by Wednesday, April 28th at 10:00PM.
- Include 1) Full Name, 2) Mailing Address, 3) Grade & School, and 4) Phone Number.
- All students in Oakland public schools are eligible to participate!
- Winners will be announced at the OUSD Asian Pacific American & Arab Heritage Month Celebration on Friday, May 14th 4:30-6pm
Essay PROMPTS by Grade Level:
ELEMENTARY School Students:
- How does it feel when you hear that Asian communities are experiencing higher levels of violence in Oakland and around the world over the past year?
- Do you have any personal stories or experiences that are similar to what Asian American communities across the country have been going through after the coronavirus pandemic has been blamed on Asian people?
MIDDLE School Students:
- How have you been impacted personally or emotionally by recent incidents of violence against Asian Americans in the past year? If your family has been affected or relates, please share your experiences.
- How can allies and bystanders help when someone is being discriminated against or attacked because of their race in these kinds of incidents? Please share your thoughts on why this solidarity is important.
HIGH School Students:
- How have you been impacted personally or emotionally by recent incidents of violence against Asian Americans in the past year? If your family has been affected or relates, please share your experiences.
- What is your vision for community safety and what would a world without anti-Asian violence look like? What would our society need in place to prevent these incidents from happening?
Here are some resources on how to write a strong essay:
Judging: An impartial board of judges from the contest co-sponsors will score and select the winners. Each essay will be judged on the basis of:
- Originality
- Sharing Related Personal Perspectives & Experiences
- Clarity of Thought and Expression
- Extra points will be given for connections to history!
By submitting your essay to the contest, you permit the Oakland Unified School District to publish your essay publicly to lift up the voices of Oakland youth on this important issue. Select essays will be published in an OUSD zine and on our APISA website!
Email lailan.huen@ousd.org with any questions!
To decrease bullying and prevent incidents of anti-Asian discrimination, educators and families can play a critical role in helping young people understand the history and context for anti-Asian racism in the United States and around the world that has flared up due to COVID-19 first known in China.
See Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell's statements on anti-Asian violence:
- "Oakland Stands United Against Racism"
- "I Wish You a Happy Lunar New Year, But at Same Time, I'm Outraged by Anti-Asian Violence Across the Bay Area"
- "Hatred and Violence Harm the People Targeted, but Also Society as a Whole; Let’s End These Scourges Together"
Here are some resources and ideas for lesson plans we've compiled to use with your students:
Curriculum Resource Guide for Elementary Schools
Curriculum Resource Guide for Middle & High Schools
Please share any additional resources that should be included by emailing lailan.huen@ousd.org or commenting on the document!
Resources for Students
#StopAAPIHate Reporting Forms: Students or allies can report incidents so that officials and advocates can track, link people to resources, and develop a community response.
Students impacted by bullying needing immediate support can contact the Crisis Text Line, and Asian American students can get culturally responsive free counseling through IWAY: Improving Wellness for Asian Youth.
TRAININGS & WEBINARS
There are opportunities to learn more about how to respond to incidents, how to prepare your students to respond, and how to build solidarity between communities during this time:
Bystander Intervention Virtual Trainings Hosted by Hollaback! & Asian Americans Advancing Justice
More Resources from Hollaback!
Additional Resources
- IMPACT Bay Area Training: Free online classes to empower the community with self-defense, personal safety & anti-harassment classes - Register here
Two-Part Intercultural Panel Series Hosted by ING: Solidarity in a Time of Crisis: Standing with Asian Americans
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The Asian American Community is Hurting: How You Can Take Action
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History of Discrimination Against Asian Americans: What We Need to Do About It Now
