West Alabama Sorority Awards Cash Prizes for Video Contest

Juneteenth marks the significant moment when enslaved African Americans in Texas were liberated on June 19, 1865, celebrating their freedom two and a half years after the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Get our free mobile app

The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated^® - Eta Xi Omega Chapter, located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has announced the launch of the 2^nd Annual "The Voices of Freedom Juneteenth Contest” with a new twist of the essay being done in a “reel” – video format.

Eta Xi Omega Chapter

This esteemed competition is designed to empower the voices of West Alabama middle and high school students. This contest is in collaboration with the Tuscaloosa Branch of the NAACP and Townsquare Media – 92.9 WTUG, Praise 93.3, 105.1 The Block, and the Tuscaloosa Thread.

"The 'Voices of Freedom Juneteenth Video Essay Contest' represents a vital platform for the youth of our community to engage with and reflect upon our collective history,” said Dr. Shanté Morton, President of the Eta Xi Omega Chapter. “It encourages them to express their understanding and perspectives on freedom, embodying the spirit of Juneteenth. Through this contest, we not only honor our past but also empower our future leaders.”

Video Contest Information

This year, the contest will empower middle and high school students in West Alabama to create a “reel” or video to address the prompts below:

Explain the historical significance of Juneteenth.

How has Juneteenth personally impacted your life?

What can be learned from Juneteenth to help us shape a better America today?

There Will Be 3 Contest Winners

“The Voices of Freedom Juneteenth Video Essay Contest” runs now through May 31, and submissions are accepted through the online portal below.

Cash Prizes

$500 Cash Prize for 1^st Place

$250 Cash Prize for 2nd Place

$100 Cash Prize for 3^rd Place

The Uplift Our Local Community Initiative of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated - Eta Xi Omega Chapter is spearheading this video contest. "Transitioning to a video format for this year's “Voices of Freedom Juneteenth Video Essay Contest” marks a significant evolution in how we engage with history and expression, said Danielle Kimbrough Spikes, Initiative Co-Chair. “It allows students the ability to bring their insights through video to amplify their voices in a dynamic, impactful way.”

How to Submit Your “Reel” – “Video”

Videos should be no longer than two (2) minutes in length and must be submitted by May 31, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Submit your video here: bit.ly/voicesoffreedomcontest

The contest is open to all currently enrolled middle and high school students in the West Alabama community.

Winners will be contacted by June 8 and must be available to attend the Tuscaloosa Chapter of the NAACP's Juneteenth Festival on June 15 to accept the prize.

If you have any questions, please email etaxiomega.uplift@gmail.com

LOOK: 19 Black historical figures you probably didn't learn about in class

As more states add bans on teaching Black history in classrooms across America, Stacker highlighted 19 underrepresented trailblazers to keep in mind.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

LOOK: 52 Black actors who made entertainment history

Stacker presents over 50 Black actors whose performances broke barriers and made entertainment history.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

LOOK: Here are the biggest HBCUs in America

More than 100 historically Black colleges and universities are designated by the U.S. Department of Education, meeting the definition of a school "established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans."

StudySoup compiled the 20 largest historically Black colleges and universities in the nation, based on 2021 data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Each HBCU on this list is a four-year institution, and the schools are ranked by the total student enrollment.

LOOK: 50 essential civil rights speeches

Many of the speakers had a lifetime commitment to human rights, but one tried to silence an activist lobbying for voting rights, before later signing off on major civil rights legislation. Several fought for freedom for more than one oppressed group.

Keep reading to discover 50 essential civil rights speeches.

Gallery Credit: Karen Johanson