EJI Essay Contest
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EJI Essay Contest Scholarship Awards
EJI organized and judged a Racial Justice Essay Contest that ACRP and Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) launched this past Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Students in grades 9-12 were eligible to enter by researching a racial justice topic and submitting an essay between 800 and 1,000 words by March 17, 2023. ACRP partnered with Alexandria City High School (ACHS), the Department of Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Activities, and the Alexandria Library to offer writing and editing support to students wishing to enter the contest. Ten ACHS students submitted final essays and EJI selected the three scholarship winners.
At the May 20, 2023 event at City Hall, EJI Rep. Deksyos Damtew presented a total of $5,000 in scholarships to three students for essays exploring racial disparities in health care, modern-day lynchings, and an inaccurate historical portrayal that makes it a crime to be Black.
EJI sponsors the Racial Justice Essay Contests for public school students to advance the efforts of local Remembrance Projects. The contests are designed to invite community members to learn and engage in conversations about the history of racial injustice.
Contest Winners
Essay Contest Winners
- First Place, London Jones
- Second Place, Rena Cooper.
- Third Place,Photo credit, Jeff Hancock Photography Ayesha Anwar
Photo credit, Jeff Hancock Photography
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: First Place London Jones](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-LondonJones.jpg?itok=yHP45dLl)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: Second Place Rena Cooper](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Cooper.jpg?itok=7TpnaSEg)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: Third Place Ayesha Anwar](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Anwar-Damtew.jpg?h=50ca6c4e&itok=Lzo6OFMA)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: First Place London Jones](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-LondonJones.jpg?itok=yHP45dLl)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: Second Place Rena Cooper](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Cooper.jpg?itok=yTOjcNXm)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: Third Place Ayesha Anwar](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Anwar-Damtew.jpg?itok=SkGXZKsV)
EJI Scholarship Contest Awards Ceremony
See the program and photos of the May 20, 2023 event at City Hall.
Photo credit, Jeff Hancock Photography except as noted.
![Mayor Justin Wilson speaking in Council Chambers](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-chambers.jpg?itok=_Vz52ckf)
![Gretchen Bulova at podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Bulova.jpg?h=bc523c8f&itok=bUDkbM8b)
![Mayor Justin WIlson](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-Wilson.jpg?itok=QALHPuyc)
![Jacinta Greene at podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Greene.jpg?h=73117e52&itok=TlbKa3ZZ)
![EJI's Deksyos Damtew at podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Damtew.jpg?h=6777c6fa&itok=tRqfRrg0)
![Sarah Whelan and Rose Dawson](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Whelan-Dawson.jpg?h=ab90983b&itok=lPc-_i_f)
![London Jones and Deksyos Damtew](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Jones-Damtew.jpg?h=229148cd&itok=RUNrZlJh)
![Rose Dawson and London Jones](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Dawson-Jones.jpg?h=e06b963c&itok=8FuxiNzx)
![London Jones and family](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Jones-Family.jpg?h=1cbdbe62&itok=N4hN1AAo)
![Rena Cooper and Deksyos Damtew](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Cooper-Damtew.jpg?h=7d0e19b5&itok=n3KdP7Ac)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: Third Place Ayesha Anwar](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Anwar-Damtew.jpg?h=50ca6c4e&itok=Lzo6OFMA)
![Ayesha Anwar and family](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Anwar-Family.jpg?h=0c43e36c&itok=LzlJYKmk)
![Naeem Scott's mother and Rose Dawson](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Scott-Dawson.jpg?h=e8febc19&itok=hYyfTMhE)
![Principal Peter Balas at Podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Balas.jpg?h=77dcdb1b&itok=B_8eM4gn)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: First Place London Jones](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-LondonJones.jpg?itok=iHtH-A4A)
![Standing Ovation for London Jones](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Ovation.jpg?h=eb657e21&itok=vMXN3hoI)
![Audrey Davis at podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Audrey-Davis.jpg?h=c997352a&itok=UUuNFeOC)
![EJI essay contest winners and presenters](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Winners.jpg?h=15e1a914&itok=rCY8fZMN)
![Rena Cooper, Ayesha Anwar, London Jones, mother of Neem Scott](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-Four-Winners.jpg?h=62c404c8&itok=STspwr6X)
![teachers Jones and Shabazz](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Jones-Shabazz.jpg?h=62c404c8&itok=lxuoyJ1h)
![Two of the student film producers](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-student-film-producers%20.jpg?h=62c404c8&itok=Djaatshv)
![City Manager Jim Parajon](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Klebe-Parajon.png?h=1656957e&itok=OAqZP8iZ)
![Rosa Byrd](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Klebe-Rosa-Byrd.png?h=057aa25e&itok=_b2bLSct)
![Jacinta Greene and Kennetra Wood](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Greene-Wood.jpg?h=f45d7289&itok=NNnC--Zb)
![Jacinta Greene, MacArthur Myers, Amy Jackson](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Greene-Myers-Jackson.jpg?h=3bc1fba9&itok=pUZjTAZE)
![Proclamation and Program](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_thumbnail/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Program.jpg?h=c87ee9b9&itok=WPuOsyaS)
![Mayor Justin Wilson speaking in Council Chambers](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-chambers.jpg?itok=_Vz52ckf)
![Gretchen Bulova at podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Bulova.jpg?itok=Dg71jYe-)
![Mayor Justin WIlson](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-Wilson.jpg?itok=wh_rFpS_)
![Jacinta Greene at podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Greene.jpg?itok=F_Y_YYmX)
![EJI's Deksyos Damtew at podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Damtew.jpg?itok=CIzENhgg)
![Sarah Whelan and Rose Dawson](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Whelan-Dawson.jpg?itok=qwiaP3iS)
![London Jones and Deksyos Damtew](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Jones-Damtew.jpg?itok=6R3vnQnx)
![Rose Dawson and London Jones](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Dawson-Jones.jpg?itok=93fhumZq)
![London Jones and family](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Jones-Family.jpg?itok=unNTmhpe)
![Rena Cooper and Deksyos Damtew](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Cooper-Damtew.jpg?itok=ZSNI1xRz)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: Third Place Ayesha Anwar](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Anwar-Damtew.jpg?itok=SkGXZKsV)
![Ayesha Anwar and family](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Anwar-Family.jpg?itok=5sgtHGu3)
![Naeem Scott's mother and Rose Dawson](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Scott-Dawson.jpg?itok=d7eyRYkt)
![Principal Peter Balas at Podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Balas.jpg?itok=xAmjEQdd)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: First Place London Jones](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-LondonJones.jpg?itok=yHP45dLl)
![Standing Ovation for London Jones](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Ovation.jpg?itok=9g2e5gNs)
![Audrey Davis at podium](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Audrey-Davis.jpg?itok=ygTFuq-i)
![EJI essay contest winners and presenters](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Winners.jpg?itok=Pm4IhCnA)
![Rena Cooper, Ayesha Anwar, London Jones, mother of Neem Scott](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-Four-Winners.jpg?itok=d0-4RSTT)
![teachers Jones and Shabazz](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Jones-Shabazz.jpg?itok=TteRYtCx)
![Two of the student film producers](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-student-film-producers%20.jpg?itok=1yd_GtL5)
![City Manager Jim Parajon](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Klebe-Parajon.png?itok=_qWSXcLP)
![Rosa Byrd](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Klebe-Rosa-Byrd.png?itok=OKWRUSLo)
![Jacinta Greene and Kennetra Wood](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Greene-Wood.jpg?itok=gF2irryC)
![Jacinta Greene, MacArthur Myers, Amy Jackson](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Greene-Myers-Jackson.jpg?itok=7K5OUSkj)
![Proclamation and Program](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-2023-Program.jpg?itok=mTWkVQiD)
Proclamation for ACHS Remembrance Students
At the same event, Mayor Justin Wilson, members of City Council, and ACPS School Board Members celebrated the 40 Alexandria City High School students who have worked with ACRP to acknowledge and remember Alexandria lynching victims Joseph McCoy (April 23, 1897) and Benjamin Thomas (August 8, 1899) with a citywide proclamation.
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: Panorama](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-Panorama1.jpg?itok=nV_5vWxz)
![EJI Essay Contest 2023: Panorama](/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_item/public/2023-05/EJI-Essay-Panorama1.jpg?itok=nV_5vWxz)