[Excerpt from Jordan Abel’s opening speech at the 2015 reading of the winning submissions]
The 8th Annual UVic Libraries Diversity Writing Contests are now officially underway. A joint initiative of the UVic Libraries and VPAC office, the UVic Libraries Diversity Writing Contest aimed at fostering and continuing campus discussions around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Diversity Writing Contest: UVic students may submit their written work relating to themes of diversity, equity, or inclusion in one of three categories:
- Poetry (150 lines maximum)
- Fiction (2,000 words maximum)
- Non-Fiction (2,000 words maximum)
In addition to cash prizes for first and second place (in each category), winners also receive an invitation to a writer’s workshop with this year’s celebrity author and judge Celu Amberstone and public recognition of their award-winning entries at the UVic Diversity Research Forum opening reception on January 26, 2017.
Spoken Word Contest: The contest also includes a spoken word category that is open to anyone in the UVic or Greater Victoria community:
- Spoken Word (3 minute maximum)
Cash prizes are awarded for first, second and third place (in each category). Winners will also receive public recognition of their award-winning entry and a chance to perform their award-winning pieces at the UVic Diversity Research Forum opening reception on January 26, 2017.
Submissions are open until January 9, 2017.
For more information about the contest and past winning entries, including winning entries from UVic law students, visit: UVic Diversity Writing Contests