Creativity Contest

The 2024 MLK Legacy Day celebration also includes the annual creativity contest.

Babson’s Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Day celebration will occur on Thursday, February 15, 2024. It will feature a keynote address by Wes Woodson, professional speaker, mental health speaker, and author of "I Have Anxiety (So What?)"

This year’s celebration also includes a creativity contest. We invite current graduate and undergraduate students to submit creative works in response to one of the following prompts based on Wes Woodson’s important work. Your creative work may take the form of a non-fiction essay, sculpture, poem, short story, painting, photograph, or spoken word performance, or other creative form. Winners of this creativity contest will be announced during a celebration on February 16, 2024.

For the 2024 Creativity Contest, please consider and respond to one of the following prompts. Your response will be a creative work in the medium of your choice. Submissions to the creativity contest are due to the Office of Multicultural and Identity Programs in the Diversity Suite or via 23-24mlklegacydaycommitee@babson.onmicrosoft.com by Monday, January 29, 2024.

Questions can be directed to Natalie Joseph njoseph@babson.edu or Sandy Bravo sbravo@babson.edu

1. Career of Humanity

Wes’s book chronicles his journey to self-empowerment. Still, beyond helping himself, this book became a rescue buoy for many young adults drowning in the hidden space of mental health diagnosis. His work has been a beacon for how one person can take the courageous step of helping other people through transparency and vulnerability and tapping into their humanity.

How can the things that challenge us be used as a vehicle to create change?

2. hidden

Wes created a clothing line called HIDDEN to destigmatize the conversations about mental health. The imagery and boldness of his clothing line sparked conversation in some unlikely spaces and gave voice to those who had often felt invisible.

In what ways has the courage of others to speak up inspired you and how can we work to amplify the voices of people who may be marginalized in our society?

2022

Co-winners: Madison Spence and Skylar Jackenthal

2021

First Place: Xiomara Kelly ’21
Second Place: Skylar Jackenthal ’23
Third Place: Gioia de la Feld ’21

2020

First Place: Gioia de la Feld ’21
Second Place: Melissa Denizard ’20
Third Place: Wes Woodson ’20

2019

First Place: Gioia de la Feld ’21
Second Place: Melissa Denizard ’20
Third Place: Aswini Melekote ’19

2018

First Place: Melissa Denizard ’20
Second Place: NiaChloe Bowman ’19
Third Place: Temilayo Awefeso ’20

2017

First Place: NiaChloe Bowman ’19
Second Place: Yulkendy Valdez ’17
Third Place: Salome Mosehle ’18

2016

First Place: Chi Obasi ’16
Second Place: Bradley Darling ’18
Third Place: Savannah Carlin ’17

2015

First Place: Emily Purdom ’18
Second Place: Leinado Marte ’18
Third Place: Bradley Darling ’18

2014

First Place: Evan DeBaise ’14
Second Place: Chi Obasi ’16
Third Place: Yulkendy Valdez ’17

2013

Creativity Contest
First Place: Juan Martinez ’15
Second Place: Manuel Paredes ’14
Speech Contest
Kadia Tubman ’13

2012

Creativity Contest
First Place: Ali Khan ’14
Second Place: Cathy Bao ’12
Speech Contest
First Place: Christian Lewis ’13
Second Place: Kate Anderson ’14

2011

Creativity Contest
First Place: Marie Pierre ’12
Second Place: Mercedes Ercarnation-Mandes ’12
Speech Contest
First Place: Kadia Tubman ’13
Second Place: Nohely Artega ’11

2010

Creativity Contest
First Place: Mona Gimenez ’11
Second Place: Jamaal Eversley ’10
Speech Contest
First Place: Kadia Tubman ’13
Second Place: Robin Lee Allen ’11

2009

Creativity Contest
Tied for First Place:
Marie Pierre ’12 and Brandon Lane ’10
Speech Contest
First Place: Rayshawn Whitford ’12
Second Place: Aaron Hartman ’09

2008

Creativity Contest
First Place: Obenewaa Boakye ’11
Second Place: Shaina Silva ’08
Speech Contest
First Place: Sarah English ’08
Second Place: Sterling Charles ’08
Third Place: Tommy Wenzlau ’10

2007

Speech Contest
First Place: Sarah English ’08
Second Place: Asad Rahim ’07

2006

Speech Contest
Alvin Wade ’07
Maxwell Owen ’09

2005

Speech Contest
Anand Dholakia M’05
Barbara Wong ’05

2004

Speech Contest
Jason Bedrick ’05
Jason Clinkscales ’04