In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, NSU Shepard Broad College of Law is sponsoring its fourth annual Letter-Writing Competition. As the Nation honors the legacy of Dr. King, an advocate for social change through non-violent protest, we are proud to sponsor a writing competition inspired by the iconic "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." Penned April 1963, the letter is a notable example of Dr. King's ability to use the power of words to promote civil rights. It remains as an excellent example of both activism and rhetoric techniques. To read the letter and learn more about Dr. King, visit
The King Center
.
We invite you to draft your own version of a letter on a social justice issue - including environmental responsibility, structural racism, human trafficking, LGBT advocacy, economic empowerment, educational reform, immigration, religious tolerance, prisoner rights, or gender equality or other concerns of injustice and inequality inspired by Dr. King's Letter from Birmingham City Jail.
The competition prompt is: Based on your reading of Dr. King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," write an open letter to the public that highlights a modern-day social justice issue. Use the letter to raise awareness for the issue you select, and to promote a strategy for solving the problem.
This competition is open to all current full-time and part-time students enrolled at NSU Shepard Broad College of Law. All content must be original and previously unpublished. NSU Law will present awards to both the first and second place winners. A distinguished panel of judges, attorneys, and activists will select the winning entry. The winning entry will also be published on the school website. The first prize winner will receive a $125 prize and a plaque; the second prize winner will receive a $75 prize and a certificate.
All entries must be submitted via email to Dominique Britt at
db904@nova.edu
. Letters must be 750 words or less, and submitted in Word or PDF files. They must include the name, year and email address of the participant. The deadline for submission is January 14, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The winner will be announced by January 31, 2019.
