(enlarge the graphic above)
 

February 1 marks the beginning of Black History Month, and Sequoia’s participation in the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. We invite all Sequoia students to participate in a Black Lives Matter at Sequoia t-shirt design contest. This is your chance to say Black Lives Matter!, to celebrate the diversity of the Sequoia community, and to show your commitment to social justice through meaningful art! 

Here are some questions students can reflect on to get ideas flowing!  

• What does “Black Lives Matter” mean to you? 
• What do you think, feel, and imagine when you read the Black Lives Matter At School 13 Guiding Principles principles and ideas? 
• How do you use Sequoia’s core values: Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, & Compassion to practice empathy and work for justice? 
• What makes you feel free to dream, safe to thrive at school and in your community?
• This ‘Turning Important Ideas into Art’ worksheet may help you brainstorm ideas! 
• View more art inspiration

BLM At Sequoia T-Shirt Design Guidelines:

• A student’s design needs to include “BLM” or “Black Lives Matter” and “Sequoia”. It should reflect one or more of the BLM At School principles or ideas above. 
• Keep designs simple so they can be used on a t-shirt . Designs must fit on an 8.5x11” sheet of paper using only 1-2 colors for artwork. (Remember the t-shirt is a color too!)
• Artwork is due by February 12, 2021 and can be submitted to blmatsequoiacontest@gmail.com. Please try to take a good photo or a digital scan of handmade artwork with your phone or device, but any image will be accepted. Flat black and white scans/photos work best. Submissions should include the student’s name, grade and teacher. 
• In addition, upper grades can make a copy of this slideshow template to present their ideas. Or, download and print a blank t-shirt template.
• Once submissions are in, a panel of Sequoia faculty and community members will judge the entries and select a winner. The winning design will be printed on shirts to be sold to the Sequoia community and beyond. More details to come soon.
• We will showcase all artwork submitted after the contest is over!

We hope you will take advantage of the different ways your class or your family might be celebrating Black History Month to think about these ideas and make some art! 

Coming soon: a gallery of student submissions! 

Questions? Email organizers Jose Corona, Nate Landry, & Joanne Tateishi at blmatsequoiacontest@gmail.com. Happy Black History Month!