2026 Juneteenth at King Park: Art, Essay & Spoken Word Contest
🎨 ART • ✍🏾 ESSAY • 🎤 SPOKEN WORD
Share Your Voice. Honor the Past. Inspire the Future.
Open to Long Beach Area Students in Grades 3–12
Deadline: EXTENDED TO Wednesday, June 17, 2026 by 11:59 PM
Questions? Text/call Melissa at 515-999-6356
Express yourself.
Tell Your Story.
Inspire the Community.
Are you a student in grades 3–12 who loves to create, write, perform, imagine, or express yourself?
The Juneteenth at King Park Art, Essay & Spoken Word Contest is your opportunity to explore history, culture, freedom, and the future through your own unique perspective.
Whether you enjoy drawing, painting, collage, print making, digital art, photography, creative writing, poetry, or spoken word, we invite you to share your creativity and become part of a celebration that honors the past while inspiring the future.
What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day enslaved Black people in Texas were finally informed of their freedom, more than two years after slavery had officially ended in the United States.
Today, Juneteenth is celebrated across the country as a time to honor freedom, resilience, community, culture, and the ongoing pursuit of justice.
At Juneteenth at King Park in Long Beach, we come together as a community to celebrate Black history, creativity, leadership, and hope for future generations.
This Year's Theme is "Sankofa: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future"
Sankofa is a concept from the Akan people of West Africa that means “Go back and get what you forgot.”
Sankofa reminds us that understanding our history helps us build a better future. It teaches us that the wisdom, strength, and experiences of those who came before us can help guide our choices today.
Through this contest, students are invited to reflect on the meaning of Juneteenth, explore their own ideas about freedom and justice, and imagine the future they want to help create.
Who Can Participate?
The contest is open to students who live in the Long Beach area or attend Long Beach schools, who are in the following grade groups:
Grades 3–5
Grades 6–8
Grades 9–12
Students compete within their own grade group.
Contest categories
Students may enter one, two, or all three categories listed below:
Art Contest
Create an original visual artwork inspired by Juneteenth and Sankofa.
Details
Accepted formats include:
- Drawing
- Painting
- Photography
- Digital Art
- Collage
- Mixed Media
Requirements
- Must be your own original work
- Must reflect the Sankofa and Juneteenth theme
- Include a short Artist Statement of 3–5 sentences explaining your piece
Digital Submission
File Naming:
Please label files as: FirstName_LastName_Grade (Example: Johnson_Maya_Grade6)
File Format:
Photo of final artwork (JPG or PNG file)
Essay Contest
Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas through writing.
Details
Possible topics include:
- What does Sankofa mean in your life or community?
- How can learning from the past help solve problems today?
- What does freedom / liberation look like in 2026?
- Who inspires you and represents Sankofa?
- What change do you want to make in your community
Requirements
WORD COUNT GUIDELINES:
- Grades 3–5: 250–350 words
- Grades 6–8: 350–500 words
- Grades 9–12: 500–750 words
Digital Submission
File Naming:
Please label files as: FirstName_LastName_Grade (Example: Johnson_Maya_Grade6)
File Format:
PDF, Google Doc or Microsoft Word document
Spoken Word Contest
Use poetry, storytelling, and performance to share your voice.
Details
Students may submit an original spoken word piece that explore any of these prompts:
- What freedom means to you
- Lessons from ancestors or community
- What Sankofa looks like today
- Black joy, resilience, and identity
- Hopes for the future
Requirements
GUIDELINES:
- Grades 3–5: 250–350 words
- Grades 6–8: 350–500 words
- Grades 9–12: 500–750 words
Digital Submission
File Naming:
Please label files as: FirstName_LastName_Grade (Example: Johnson_Maya_Grade6)
File Format:
Video or audio link/file (mandatory). Also, please provide written poem in addition to the video/audio
Important Dates
Submission Deadline
Tuesday, June 16, 2026 by 5PM
Winners Celebrated
Saturday, June 20, 2026 during the annual Juneteenth at King Park Celebration at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Long Beach, California
Review Process
Entries will be reviewed by a community panel that includes educators, local artists, parents, and student leaders from the LBUSD Sankofa Parent Village, students from LBUSD’s Black Literature Society, and the local community.
Prizes & Recognition
Top entries in each grade group will receive:
- A certificate of recognition presented at Juneteenth at King Park
- A prize package
- Selected artwork will be displayed at the Juneteenth at King Park celebration on June 20th. Details for in-person drop-off, including location, contact, and hours, will be shared in advance.
- Selected essays may be read aloud, printed in a program or showcase, and even featured online.
- Selected spoken word performances may be invited to perform live at Juneteenth at King Park on June 20th.
Why Participate?
Your voice matters. This contest is an opportunity to share your creativity, express your ideas, celebrate culture and inspire others.
Submission Rules
- One entry per category (one essay, one art piece, and/or one spoken word submission per student)
- Work must be original and created by the student
Submissions must be received by the deadline - Late or incomplete entries may not be reviewed
By submitting, participants and their parent or guardian, if under 18, give permission for work to be displayed or shared as part of Juneteenth at King Park.
Enter the contest now
Submit your entry(ies) before the deadline, extended to Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at 11:59PM.
Have questions? Text or call Melissa at 515-999-6356. We can’t wait to see what you create.