<![CDATA[THE BALDWIN PRIZE

<![CDATA[THE BALDWIN PRIZE - Blog]]>Sun, 02 Mar 2025 22:49:27 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Feb 3 Event: ways to be involved going forward]]>Mon, 03 Feb 2025 08:00:00 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/feb-3-event-ways-to-be-involved-going-forward

1. Sign up for the Baldwin Prize newsletter

2. Sign up to read The Counterpublic Papers

3. Donate to the Baldwin Prize

]]><![CDATA[Call for volunteers]]>Sun, 22 Dec 2024 14:35:01 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/call-for-volunteers7165194

The Baldwin Prize is an essay competition at Baltimore City College High School. Named after the writer and humanitarian James Baldwin, the Prize gives City College students an opportunity, during a pivotal stage of their development, to use the written word to explore their inner lives and how it connects with our shared humanity. In 2025, students will earn more than $3,000 in awards.

We are set to have 400 student writers this year, so we need your help. There are two volunteer opportunities. You can register here and read more details below.

1. Read and score essays

Readers (AKA judges) just need a willingness to read student writing and a bit of time. Each judge will be given no more than 6 essays on Friday, March 28, 2025 and asked to submit scores (according to a rubric that will be provided) by Monday, April 7, 2025.

If you're curious, you'll find this year's prompt here. It's about hope.

2. Be a writing consultant

Writing consultants should have some experience writing or editing work for publication. The type of publication and amount of writing or editing experience is not important. Writing consultants just need to be able to listen to students talk about the progress they've made on the current draft of their story and lead a group conversation (consisting of up to three students and one consultant) on things each young writer may want to consider as he or she revises the piece ahead of the submission deadline. Consultations will take place on Thursday, February 20 and Friday, February 21, 2025 from 7:45 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time. You can volunteer for as little as one hour online (via Zoom) or in person (at Baltimore City College High School).

To volunteer, please complete this short form.

More information about the Baldwin Prize:

- Learn all about the Prize and what students say about it in this short video.

- The Baldwin Prize blog has pictures and information from previous events as well as winning student essays.

- And we have a newsletter. You can sign up for it here.

]]><![CDATA[study-abroad experience: Ky'mera pauling]]>Fri, 20 Dec 2024 08:00:00 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/study-abroad-experience-kymera-pauling

Ky’Mera Pauling won a Baldwin Prize Travel Grant that allowed her to study in Italy. In the interview below, she talks about her experience. The transcript has been edited for space and clarity.

Why did you want to go abroad?

I wanted to understand others. As a psychology major, I seek to understand how our thoughts manifest through interactions with the world. Culture is a major component of how we develop and move throughout this life. When I applied for the Baldwin Prize travel award, I had never been to another US state more than a few hours’ drive away, let alone on a plane. Acknowledging the vast differences that exist in America, I understood that experiencing culture abroad could open my eyes even further to the pillars of our shared humanity.

How did you choose where you would study? What factors motivated you?

I have always had an interest in mythology. Greco-Roman mythology in particular meshes beautifully with the true history of Rome and provides countless artistic pieces retelling the myths. While studying in Rome, I was able to enroll in two courses: Ancient Roman Mythology and Architecture and Genius Artist in The Genius City. The actual study portion of my study-abroad experience was extremely fulfilling and enriching. Thanks to Rome's walkability and infrastructure, I spent the majority of the instructional time in my courses exploring the city, visiting museums, mausoleums, famous statues, fountains, and more.

What were you expecting before you departed?

Having never traveled alone before, I was expectantly anxious. The uncertainty of being alone in a new place was overshadowed by anxiety about making a mindless mistake like missing my flight. Of course, when the day arrived to depart, everything went smoothly. I put ample time and care into preparing. The Baldwin Prize helped me secure my passport, which eased a lot of stress. On my end, I did endless research on the weather in Rome, the public transport system, necessary safety measures, appropriate attire, how much spending money I would need, the currency exchange, and anything else you could think of in preparation for a trip.

How was your program structured? What did your days and weeks look like?

I was fortunate to have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays only, 6 hours every day. As I mentioned before, there was a lot of walking. While the heat did make it regrettable sometimes, I much preferred being out and experiencing the city in contrast with sitting down for 3 hours straight being lectured. Some of the sites I had the pleasure of visiting during my classes were The Vatican Museums, St. Peters Basilica, The Barberini Palace, The Borghese Gallery, Villa Farnesia, The Moses Fountain, The Spanish Steps, The Church of Saint Ignatius in Campo Marzio, and many more churches. Other than the few mandatory program meetings with my trip organizer, the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE), all of my time was my own. CIEE had optional events, such as pottery-painting, pizza-making class, and performing arts events that students could attend. They also hosted day trips to Pompeii and Villa D’Este. Both sites were beautiful, but Pompeii was a full-circle experience for me. I never would have imagined that I would stand in the very place whose history I was so fascinated with upon discovering it for the first time so many years back in middle school. I also took a solo day trip to Florence, a two-day trip to Sorrento with some of my peers, made dinner with a friend at their homestay, experienced Roman nightlife, tried a lot of restaurants, and did tons of shopping. I was lucky enough to meet up with an old teacher and mentor of mine who happened to be in Rome at the same time. Even interactions such as that one that seem so small truly mean a lot when you're in a new place with few familiar faces. I stayed in the neighborhood of Prati, and almost every day I was presented with a reason to walk along the beautiful Tiber River. Along the Tiber is a cafe called Biblobar, where I grabbed breakfast and spent many mornings, reading and finishing assignments.

Describe the type of people you met.

While there were other people of color in my cohort, to my knowledge I was the only person who self-identified as Black. My cohort within the program wasn’t especially community-oriented. I often felt alienated. As a result, I didn’t sustain many meaningful connections with the majority of my peers. Outside of my program, I had a mix of positive and negative experiences with Italians. The workers at Tonnarello’s restaurant were extremely friendly and posed for a picture as I photographed the restaurant. Bartaruga, arguably one of my favorite places in Rome, I frequented with my friend Leah. The staff is extremely warm and hospitable, often joining in on mine and Leah’s conversations and adding all the more depth to them. I ran into Black Italians and tourists who lit up at the sight of my presence, even garnering a “Welcome to Rome, my sister!” I also ran into locals who made rude remarks, such as “What is she doing here?” I opted to focus on the positive during my trip, and I did form meaningful connections with a few people.

Were you surprised by anything you experienced? If yes, what surprised you?

Traveling abroad, especially to a European country, I anticipated certain reactions. While I had some expectations of microaggressions and discrimination from locals and other tourists, I did not expect to see myself and some of my fellow students treated this way by our fellow cohort members. This was disappointing and made all the more frustrating by CIEE. CIEE did not do enough to prepare all students for the social and cultural differences they might experience in their host country and to make students aware of the mental, emotional, and cultural baggage all of us were bringing with us and would need to unpack. This was a significant failure on CIEE’s part. Travel is not simply about what you can see of the world. It’s about the mirror the world puts up to you. I wish CIEE had helped my classmates see more of themselves. I discussed all of this early on with the Baldwin Prize, and I navigated it with their full support.

Describe one or two people you met who really stood out to you.

Three people stood out to me during my time abroad. The person whose acquaintance I’m most grateful for is my friend Leah. I constantly felt othered, but not by Leah. She was a breath of fresh air. We talked for hours. We found comfort in our similarities and interest in one another’s differences. She was my companion for many trip highlights. Another fulfilling connection I made was with Johnny, a philosophy major, and one of the only other people who would speak in my classes. Johnny and I engaged in meaningful conversations about our course content, social interactions and so much more. Johnny’s most memorable trait for me was his ability to be an instant tour guide, as he would always know the most meticulous facts and obscure stories about the places we visited that our professional guides weren't aware of. Beyond my own interest and interactions with Johnny, my academic endeavors while abroad were made gratifying due to the dedicated work of our professor, Kevin. His teaching style is extremely engaging. He teaches with the goal of leaving students with long-term memories of the content. I was able to see connections in what I was learning with previous information and new experiences I had while exploring the city outside of class.

Will this experience change anything you do or the way you think going forward?

Yes. Next time—and there will be many next times—I would definitely prefer to go to a country where more people who look like me are living in leisure and not only in labor, where my skin and physical features are not an anomaly. I would also prefer to travel with at least one person I know and trust. Navigating a new place is much easier when you have someone who understands you and is looking out for your wellbeing just as much as you do for them.

What are your recommendations for other young people who might be considering doing this?

Do it! We need more people to experience the world and understand that despite the negatives, we are all united through our shared humanity. We especially need more Black students to study abroad. Putting yourself out there is how we rightfully normalize the presence of Black faces in every existing space. We deserve to experience all the beauty of the planet just as much as anyone else. I am beyond grateful to the Baldwin Prize; Mr. Foster; Lily O’Hara, who spent months helping me prepare for my trip; the donors; and everyone else who helped make this experience a reality for me.

]]><![CDATA[Study-abroad experience: iCHE'LA cARTER]]>Wed, 18 Dec 2024 02:33:39 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/study-abroad-experience-ichela-carter

.Iche’la Carter won a Baldwin Prize Travel Grant that allowed her to study in Ireland. In the interview below, she talks about her experience. The transcript has been edited for space and clarity.

Why did you want to go abroad?

Going abroad has always been a distinct dream, but I never thought it would be possible until later in life. When I won the Baldwin Prize travel award, that's when it became possible. Once I got my passport, I thought: Wow, this is real. Like, I'm really about to go somewhere on a plane, really far away.

How did you choose where you would study? What factors motivated you?

I always wanted to go to Europe. It’s a vibe, a way of life, and I always just had a feeling in me, telling me to go to Europe. It's just something I've always been interested in when it came to places, because not only is Europe a vibe, I also love that I can learn a new language.

What were you expecting before you departed?

So, we live in a world of social media. And I just prepared at home. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos, and did some research, and read over the different pamphlets and everything that CIEE, the tour operator, provides. But no matter how much research I did, nothing could have prepared me for what was there. I didn’t want to be in an awkward situation, so I was looking up the different slang and stuff like that, just seeing the stuff about the culture, and I would say I was a bit worried about the cultural difference. When you go somewhere else where everybody doesn't look like you, it's very eye-opening and different. But when I went there I realized there is a lot of diversity. Especially in the inner city where there are people from everywhere. But Black people are still a minority. That was something that I just had to get used to.

How was your program structured? What did your days and weeks look like?

My program was three weeks. We were given a daily schedule. It told us everything we would do hour to hour, every day. It was very structured. I understand that it helps because we don’t know anything about the country and the specifics. I was told that in prior years there was too much free time. But I felt the program doesn’t allow much freedom, I couldn’t fully relax and enjoy being there. For example, during the day we had class. I had to wake up myself and wake up my buddies or vice-versa. Then we would all travel in a group on public transportation to the college and then take our classes. Then we would either go sightseeing, visit a museum, or go out to eat. The food was delicious. I had one of the best burgers in my life in Ireland. It was so great. I enjoyed that we had a lot to do, but I just wish we had a little more free time to do whatever we wanted.

Describe the type of people you met.

Everybody was so joyful and full of life–the people on the streets, in the shops, people within the program–always smiling and joking. They have a great sense of humor. They're so sarcastic. If you don't have a sense of humor, don't go to Ireland. I remember I would walk into a store and the merchant would just say something you just wouldn't expect them to. I think it was so cool. Also, they were very welcoming to foreigners. But like any other place, there are sketchy people, so you just have to watch out for that.

Describe one or two people you met who really stood out to you.

I met this one lady who gave us tours. She lived in Ireland. I remember she was very bubbly. Often, she would tell us her childhood stories from growing up in Ireland. Her spirit was very bright. And another group of people that I remember are those I studied with. We were all from the US but from different parts. I was the only one from Maryland, so it was very cool to see people who have lived in the same country as me but grown up differently. It’s very interesting to be around people who have experienced so many different things from me, and I made a lot of friends, who I still talk to. We were all in a different country for almost a month with people we didn't know. So it’s a guarantee that you will make friends, because you build connections through these different and unique experiences. Being away from home for the first time, feeling lonely and homesick, but we were all in this together. It's a bonding experience. I assure you, you will not walk away from this without meeting some awesome people.

Were you surprised by anything you experienced? If yes, what surprised you?

I was surprised by the whole thing. For example, the airport. The process at the airport was long. You have to make sure you have everything. I had everything, but they still questioned me like crazy. Another thing was Subway, the sandwich shop. One day I wanted a Subway sandwich. So I got to the Subway, but most of the things were different there. I was expecting a few things to be different from the US menu, but I didn't expect everything on the menu to be different. So I got a sandwich, which was not bad, but it was not what I expected. It was shocking. Of course, it catered to the Irish palate. It was a bit of a cultural shock.

Will this experience change anything you do or the way you think going forward?

This made me feel unafraid to travel. Now I just want to go somewhere, go out of the country, and I want to do it every year for the rest of my life. So going forward, I'm prepared to do any kind of traveling. And this has just made me question my future and whether I want to live in the US. Maybe one day I might want to live somewhere else, outside the US. Another interesting thing is that it changed my perception of how I look at politics and how I look at money. I got to compare currencies and political systems. It changed my view of everything; now I start noticing the day-to-day positives and negatives.

What are your recommendations for other young people who might consider doing this?

Personally, I was terrified of doing this. Halfway through, I didn't know if I could do this anymore. But I'm really happy that I didn't give up, because it was such a great experience. I would do it all over again, if I could. It was an awesome experience. I would tell other young people to not be scared. Don't be scared to reach out for help. I was determined to figure everything out on my own, and that's why I was stressing more than I should have. Another thing I would say is document your experience. I wrote and took lots of pictures and videos.

Pack accordingly. I thought I’d packed well. I researched the weather, and it said that it would be summertime in Ireland, so I didn't bring a coat. But it felt like winter in Ireland. It was freezing. I just had a jacket that I brought with me.

Last, I would tell young people that it was a blessing to have won the Baldwin lPrize. If you have the opportunity, take it!

]]><![CDATA[Photos from James Baldwin 100th birthday event]]>Sun, 25 Aug 2024 01:53:09 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/photos-from-james-baldwin-100th-birthday-event

]]><![CDATA[2024 BALDWIN PRIZE WINNERS]]>Sat, 27 Apr 2024 18:22:29 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/2024-baldwin-prize-winnersFinalists

Amelia Webb-Harris
Armeen Sheraz
Asiyah Scott
Camille Gasque
Carl Knight
Casimir Feehan
Daniela Antunez
Dionne Zellars
Edea Kevin
Elias Paragios
Emilia Endy
Evelin Caceres
Gavin Tucker
Honor Wilkes
Jayla Boulware
Jessica Belcher
Jimmy Jiang
Kamiya Boulware
Katie Cruz
Kaylin Epps
Kennedy Evans
Lanayia Jowers
Leah Borntrager
Lila McNabney
Makaiyah Stewart
Margaret Dalbey
Miranda Hale
Naomi Hairston
Navay Lee
Olivia Sentementes
Olivia Wesby
Rhyan Carr
Sophia Reinhart
Tayshawn Payton
Vivian Klepper
Xavier Ames
Zahara Shuler
Zion Haynes
Zulema Martorella
Evelin Caceres

Best Narration

Armeen Sheraz
Text
Narration

Best Essay Involving Translation

Evelin Caceres

Wunderkind Passport Award

Camiya Smith
Erin Bell
Justin Rivas-Mejia

]]><![CDATA[PHOTOS FROM THE 2024 BALDWIN PRIZE AWARDS CEREMONY]]>Sat, 27 Apr 2024 18:13:32 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/photos-from-the-2024-baldwin-prize-awards-ceremony

]]><![CDATA[Five Ways to Celebrate James Baldwin's 100th Birthday]]>Sat, 20 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/five-ways-to-celebrate-james-baldwins-100th-birthday

If he were still with us, this year the writer and activist James Baldwin would be 100 years old. Rarely does anyone’s legacy age so well. Decades after his death, his work still has a precision and intimacy that all but summon him, his humor, his passion, and intellect into the room. It is why filmmaker Raoul Peck could make an Oscar-nominated documentary, “I Am Not Your Negro” (2017), using Baldwin’s words. After “Moonlight” (2016) won the Academy Award for Best Picture, director Barry Jenkins could have done just about anything. But he used that cachet to adapt Baldwin’s novel “If Beale Street Could Talk.”

Baldwin still talks to us--in print, on film, his face and quotes on t-shirts and posters--about how to be humane and how to come to terms with how much we need one another. He is saintly. I was once gifted a candle with his image, a yellow-orange sun burning around his head, from the Unemployed Philosopher Guild’s Secular Saint Candle line. People don’t just want to read him but in challenging times wish that they--and others--could emulate Baldwin. That impetus inspired, for example, “Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own” (Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., 2020).

Baldwin is passion without sentimentality. Intellectual clarity without cruelty. Love that embraces the full ugly-beautiful breadth of human experience. He speaks to people and the practices and institutions we create that can destroy us. He was Black and queer when both things could be even deadlier than they are today. And he gave voice to all of it.

How do we honor such a figure?

Baldwin calls us to listen to, confront, and comfort the broken places within us and help others to do the same. It is interior, deeply personal work that shows up in how we show up, that changes everything with which we come into contact, and whose greatest proof is in how we interact.

Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke from a mountaintop. He had to shock an entire nation and its guilty, dead forefathers into action. Baldwin is eloquent but always conversational, personal, his essays the finest letters one could ever receive for an audience of exactly one person: you. To read him is to undergo open-heart surgery one paragraph at a time.

Here are ideas for honoring James Baldwin this year.

Read something by Baldwin and share it.

I especially love his “Collected Essays,” edited by Toni Morrison. Open to any page. You can’t go wrong.

Have a Baldwinesque conversation with someone you love--or with a total stranger.

The Baldwin Prize is a scholarship and essay competition that asks high school students to listen and reflect the way Baldwin did. But you don’t have to participate in the competition to have an eye-opening exchange. Use this year’s Baldwin Prize prompt to spark a deeper conversation with someone you love, admire, or just want to get to know better.

Ask your elected officials to pass a proclamation in Baldwin’s honor.

Sample language for such a proclamation is here and below. You can find your US elected officials at every level of government here.

We hereby recognize 2024 as the James Baldwin Centennial in honor of James Arthur Baldwin, American writer and civil rights advocate born on August 2, 1924. We honor Baldwin, who in his work and in his life asked America and its people to live out their finest ideals. We honor Baldwin because he helped Black people, queer people, the marginalized, the ignored, the lonely, those who needed to be seen and see in that reflection love: He helped everyone. We honor Baldwin because there are few better examples of citizenship, of neighborliness, of humanity demanding and inspiring full expression. We are better because of his example.

Ask the organizations with which you are affiliated to share a statement honoring Baldwin, e.g., on their website or social media.

They can also start with the language above and add to or modify it as needed. Suggestions are here.

And spread the word using the hashtag #Baldwin100.

2024 is a busy, cacophonous year. Reflecting on Baldwin can help.

Photo credit: Allan Warren. CC BY-SA 3.0.

]]><![CDATA[Sample language for statements honoring james baldwin's centennial]]>Sat, 13 Jan 2024 12:17:26 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/sample-language-for-statements-honoring-james-baldwins-centennialThe language below is provided to inspire government proclamations (state, local, and higher) and messages of recognition from a range of organizations, e.g., educational institutions, cultural organizations, and civil rights groups. These can be anywhere: online, on social media, and in print. Every organization making a positive contribution to civic life can recognize some of what it hopes to achieve in James Baldwin and is, indeed, arguably already part of his legacy. The text below is an example. Add to it or modify as necessary. E.g., organizations may want to add the name of their organization to the statement.

We hereby recognize 2024 as the James Baldwin Centennial in honor of James Arthur Baldwin, American writer and civil rights advocate born on August 2, 1924. We honor Baldwin, who in his work and in his life asked America and its people to live out their finest ideals. We honor Baldwin because he helped Black people, queer people, the marginalized, the ignored, the lonely, those who needed to be seen and see in that reflection love: He helped everyone. We honor Baldwin because there are few better examples of citizenship, of neighborliness, of humanity demanding and inspiring full expression. We are better because of his example. ]]><![CDATA[call for volunteers]]>Fri, 05 Jan 2024 19:56:02 GMThttp://thebaldwinprize.org/blog/call-for-volunteers5613396

The Baldwin Prize is an essay competition at Baltimore City College High School. Named after the writer and humanitarian James Baldwin, the Prize gives City College students an opportunity, during a pivotal stage of their development, to use the written word to explore their inner lives and how it connects with our shared humanity. In 2024, students will earn more than $3,000 in awards.

We are set to have 400 student writers this year, so we need your help. There are two volunteer opportunities. You can register here and read more details below.

1. Read and score essays

Readers (AKA judges) just need a willingness to read student writing and a bit of time. Each judge will be given no more than 6 essays on Saturday, March 30, 2024 and asked to submit scores (according to a rubric that will be provided) by Monday, April 8, 2024.

If you're curious, you'll find this year's prompt here. It's about some of the influences that have had a deep impact on how we think or feel.

2. Be a writing consultant

Writing consultants should have some experience writing or editing work for publication. The type of publication and amount of writing or editing experience is not important. Writing consultants just need to be able to listen to students talk about the progress they've made on the current draft of their story and lead a group conversation (consisting of up to three students and one consultant) on things each young writer may want to consider as he or she revises the piece ahead of the submission deadline. Consultations will take place on Friday, February 22 and 23, 2024 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. You can volunteer for as little as one hour online (via Zoom) or in person (at Baltimore City College High School).

To volunteer, please complete this short form.

More information about the Baldwin Prize:

- Learn all about the Prize and what students say about it in this short video.

- The Baldwin Prize blog has pictures and information from previous events as well as winning student essays.

- And we have a newsletter. You can sign up for it here.

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