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"We The People...Becoming Whole Together"

 

Art & Poetry Challenge 2026

We The People – Becoming Whole Together

 

Theme

This theme centers truth, reconciliation, accountability and repair— not only through our own lived experiences, but also through witnessing, honoring, and learning from the experiences of others.

 

“We The People – Becoming Whole Together” invites participants to explore:

• Who they are- Who/What hat shaped them
• How others see them- The dangers of a single story
• Speaking truth to power
• How identity, lineage and heritage shape experience
• How harm happens- What needs repair?
• How healing begins- Who needs to be accountable?
• What it means to witness pain — even when it is not your own

 

Ways to Explore the Theme

 

“We The People – Becoming Whole Together” invites reflection on who we are, where we come from, and who we are becoming — not only as individuals, but as communities learning to live together with honesty, empathy, and care.

Through art and poetry, participants may explore identity, heritage, and lineage — the people, traditions, cultures, and histories that have shaped their lives. They may reflect on personal experiences, family stories, community narratives, or the broader forces that influence how we see ourselves and how others see us.

Participants are also encouraged to bear witness to the experiences of others. Work may explore stories of pain, resilience, injustice, courage, repair, and transformation, whether lived directly or observed in families, schools, communities, or the wider world.

 

This theme welcomes creative expressions that grapple with difficult truths while imagining pathways toward healing and wholeness. Participants might examine how harm occurs, what accountability can look like, and how individuals and communities can grow beyond division. Healing across differences often begins with understanding identity — knowing who we are, honoring who others are, and choosing empathy, courage, and compassion even when experiences differ from our own.

 

Our identities are shaped by heritage, culture, race, family, memory, and lived experience. Our healing is shaped by truth, listening, accountability, compassion, and hope.

Submissions may explore the importance of remembering history, honoring stories that have been marginalized or silenced, and resisting efforts to erase or distort the past. By engaging honestly with history and with one another, we create possibilities for repair, justice, and a more inclusive future.

Ultimately, this theme invites participants to imagine what it means for “We the People” to become more whole — individually and together.

 

 

Eligibility and Rules

 

The Challenge is open to all residents of New Hampshire. Students living out of state but attending NH schools are eligible. Submissions are welcome in the following five categories:

 

1. Elementary School (Grades K-2)

2. Elementary School (Grades 3-5)

3. Middle School (Grades 6-8)

4. High School (Grades 9-12)

5. Adult

Each participant may submit only one poem or one artwork for review. 

Update: All are welcome to submit regardless of prior awards won.

 

Collaborative submissions (‘Group Submissions’) are allowed for both poetry and visual art and are open to all age categories. They will be judged in the appropriate age category.

 

Poems may be no more than two pages and are limited to 50 lines. Poems should be submitted in Times New Roman font, size 12; line spacing 1.5. Prose is also accepted in the poetry category and 500 words or less.

*Please make sure your written word is sent in as you want it to read. Note:  font will change for the framing of the submission for the exhibit. If there is a specific font you would like your piece to be in for the final form, please indicate this when you send in your work. 

 

Visual artwork should be unframed and may not exceed 16x20 inches. 

 

We encourage the use of various art mediums to create comics, graphic art, and cartoons as well as photographs, drawings, paintings, sculptures, and other 3-D submissions. Please note, 3-D submissions may be no larger than 12x12x12 and weigh no more than 10 pounds.

 

Paintings and drawings must fit within the following standard frame sizes:

4 x 6”

5”x7”

8” x 10”

8.5’ x 11”

12" x 12"

11” x 14”

16” x 20”

 

Students may enter a collaborative project that includes a poster-sized submission up to 36x48 inches.

 

Please reach out to us at kellyc@rutnh.org  if a disability requires special accommodation.

 

When and Where to Submit Your Entry

 

The Racial Unity Team will accept submissions starting March 15, 2026. Participants must submit their poem or original artwork by August 31, 2026.

 

The first step is to complete the Submission Form online. (The submission form will be available by March 15, 2026.) Please indicate your legal name and your preferred name on the submission form. The form includes an “artist statement,” which should be written with the theme in mind.

 

Next, email a copy of your poem in Word format to artpoetry@rutnh.org . 

 

Or, email a photo of your artwork. Then mail the original artwork to: Racial Unity Team, PO Box 101, Stratham NH 03885 so that it is received by August 31, 2026.

 

For sculptures and 3-D artworks, you are welcome to mail them, if they are packaged safely.  We will also establish designated drop off locations around the state for sculptures and other 3-D artwork that will be picked up by August 31, 2026. 

 

The Racial Unity Team takes no responsibility for lost or damaged artwork.  

Judging

 

Professional writers/poets/teachers/artists will select the winners from among the participants, who remain anonymous during the judging process. Judging is expected to be completed by mid October. While winners are officially announced at the Opening Exhibit Awards Ceremony, those who have won will be notified via email prior to the event (not specifying what prize is awarded) in order to verify attendance, legal name and pronuciation. 

 

Resources:

K–2 (Early Elementary)

Focus: Identity, kindness, belonging, fairness, recognizing differences

                                         

• The Day You Begin — Jacqueline Woodson
  Encourages children to share their stories and recognize that differences are a source of strength.

• All Are Welcome — Alexandra Penfold
  Celebrates diversity in a school community and reinforces that everyone belongs.

• Last Stop on Market Street — Matt de la Peña
  A gentle exploration of empathy, gratitude, and seeing beauty in everyday life.

• The Skin You Live In — Michael Tyler
  A joyful introduction to diversity in appearance and identity.

• Strictly No Elephants — Lisa Mantchev
  A metaphorical story about inclusion and friendship across differences.

 

 

Grades 3–5 (Upper Elementary)

Focus: Fairness, courage, perspective-taking, community responsibility

                                     

• Each Kindness — Jacqueline Woodson
  Explores empathy, missed opportunities for kindness, and the impact of everyday actions.

• Separate Is Never Equal — Duncan Tonatiuh
  Tells the story of Sylvia Mendez and school desegregation, emphasizing fairness and justice.

• The Name Jar — Yangsook Choi
  Addresses identity, cultural pride, and the importance of honoring one’s name.

• Something Happened in Our Town — Celano, Collins & Hazzard
  Helps children process difficult conversations about injustice in age-appropriate ways.

• New Kid — Jerry Craft (Graphic Novel)
  Examines belonging, stereotypes, and navigating new environments.

Middle School

Focus: Identity formation, bias, courage, witnessing, social responsibility

                                                 

• Ghost — Jason Reynolds
  Explores trauma, resilience, and finding one’s path forward.

• Front Desk — Kelly Yang
  Based on the author’s life, highlighting immigration, economic hardship, and courage.

• Brown Girl Dreaming — Jacqueline Woodson
  A memoir in verse about growing up Black in America and finding one’s voice.

• The Parker Inheritance — Varian Johnson
  Blends mystery with historical racism and community healing.

• New Kid / Class Act — Jerry Craft
  Particularly effective for discussions about stereotypes, friendship, and identity.

High School

Focus: Complex identity, history, accountability, systemic issues, voice

                                               

• The Hate U Give — Angie Thomas
  Examines race, justice, activism, and finding one’s voice in the face of injustice.

• Stamped (Remix) — Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi
  A highly accessible history of racist ideas in America for young readers.

• Just Mercy (Young Adult Adaptation) — Bryan Stevenson
  Explores justice, empathy, and the humanity of people within the legal system.

• They Called Us Enemy — George Takei
  A graphic memoir about Japanese American incarceration during WWII.

• Clap When You Land — Elizabeth Acevedo
  A novel in verse about grief, identity, and family secrets across cultures.

 

Adult Resources for Deeper Exploration

(For educators, parents, community members, and older students)

 

Understanding Identity, Bias, and Perspective

• Caste — Isabel Wilkerson
   Examines hidden social hierarchies and how systems shape opportunity and belonging across time and cultures.

• So You Want to Talk About Race — Ijeoma Oluo
   A practical guide to discussing race, identity, and inequity in everyday life.

• Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People — Mahzarin R. Banaji & Anthony Greenwald
   Explores implicit bias through psychological research in an accessible way.

• Between the World and Me — Ta-Nehisi Coates
   A reflective letter on identity, history, and lived experience in America.

History, Memory, and Justice

• The Warmth of Other Suns — Isabel Wilkerson
   A sweeping narrative of the Great Migration and its impact on American society.

• A People’s History of the United States — Howard Zinn
   Presents U.S. history from the perspective of ordinary people and marginalized groups.

• Stamped from the Beginning — Ibram X. Kendi
   A comprehensive history of ideas about race in America.

Repair, Empathy, and Community

• Just Mercy — Bryan Stevenson (Adult Edition)
   Explores justice, mercy, and the humanity of people within the legal system.

• Rising Out of Hatred — Eli Saslow
   A real-life story of transformation and deradicalization, emphasizing the power of relationships.

History, Reconstruction, and Truth-Telling

• Strange Fruit, Volumes I & II — Joel Christian Gill (Graphic Novels)
   Illustrated narratives highlighting lesser-known figures and events in African American history. These works bring overlooked stories into public memory, emphasizing resilience, agency, and the importance of whose stories are told.

• Black Reconstruction in America — W. E. B. Du Bois
   A landmark study of the Reconstruction era that challenges traditional narratives by centering the role, agency, and democratic contributions of formerly enslaved people after the Civil War.

• Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution, 1863–1877 — Eric Foner
   A foundational modern history of Reconstruction that explores how the nation attempted — and struggled — to redefine freedom, citizenship, and democracy after slavery.

Truth, Reconciliation, and Accountability

• Truth and Reconciliation in South Africa — Lyn S. Graybill
   Examines the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the difficult process of confronting systemic injustice, accountability, and national healing after apartheid.

• Truth and Lies: Stories from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa — Jillian Edelstein
   A powerful collection of testimonies and reflections documenting personal experiences of violence, survival, and attempts at restorative justice.

Art, Culture, and Representation

• Facing History: The Black Image in American Art, 1710–1940
   Explores how Black people have been represented — and misrepresented — in American visual culture, raising questions about power, identity, and narrative control.

​​​​​​​Poetry, Identity, and Interior Life

• Behind My Eyes — Li-Young Lee
   A deeply reflective poetry collection exploring memory, family, identity, migration, and spiritual longing. Lee’s work models how personal history connects to broader human experience.

Multimedia Resources

(Excellent for educators, community events, or adult learning)

Films & Documentaries

• 13th (Netflix) — Ava DuVernay
  Explores the intersection of race, justice, and incarceration in the U.S.

• Selma (Film)
  Depicts the 1965 voting rights marches and civic action.

• Crip Camp (Netflix)
  Shows how a summer camp for teens with disabilities sparked a movement for civil rights.

• Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
  Highlights Fred Rogers’ work around empathy, childhood, and inclusion.

• Invictus (Film)
  Depicts South Africa’s post-apartheid reconciliation through sport.

Short Video & Educational Platforms

• Facing History & Ourselves (Website + Video Library)
  Widely used in schools to teach history, ethics, and civic responsibility.
  👉 https://www.facinghistory.org

• Teaching Tolerance / Learning for Justice (Southern Poverty Law Center)
  Classroom-ready materials on empathy, identity, and civic values.
  👉 https://www.learningforjustice.org

• PBS LearningMedia
  Standards-aligned videos, lesson plans, and primary sources.
  👉 https://www.pbslearningmedia.org

Podcasts (Adult-Friendly)

• Code Switch (NPR)
  Conversations about identity, culture, and society.

• 1619 (NYT Podcast Series)
  Explores the legacy of slavery and its impact on modern America.

• Unlocking Us — Brené Brown
  Focuses on vulnerability, empathy, and human connection.

Digital Exhibits & Interactive Learning

• Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture (Online)
  Virtual exhibits and educational resources.👉 https://nmaahc.si.edu

• Equal Justice Initiative — Lynching Memorial Project
  History, storytelling, and reconciliation efforts.👉 https://eji.org

 

 

Suggested Educator Note for Districts

The Art & Poetry Challenge is an educational arts program designed to support students’ creative expression, critical thinking, and civic understanding. Participation does not require engagement with any specific topic, viewpoint, or resource.

Suggested materials are offered as optional supports for educators and families who wish to explore themes of identity, belonging, history, and community through literature and the arts. Educators are encouraged to select resources appropriate for their students, community context, and district guidelines.

The program emphasizes empathy, respectful dialogue, and the development of student voice through creative work. Students may interpret the theme in ways that feel meaningful and age-appropriate to them.

The Racial Unity Team respects the role of educators, families, and local districts in guiding learning experiences and welcomes participation from all communities.