Rogers Creative Consciousness Challenge seeks submissions

The 17th Annual Judy Rogers Creative Consciousness Challenge is seeking student submissions until Friday, Feb. 26.   

The Judy Rogers Creative Consciousness Challenge is an opportunity for students to highlight their creative work supporting women and gender studies research, art and activism at Morehead State. This year the Gender Studies Leadership Team updated the contest, renaming it the Judy Roger’s Creative Consciousness Challenge, and offering a three-tier prize for a wide variety of creative work. Contributions should illustrate transformative gender consciousness. The contest focuses on work centered on underrepresented groups, including Black, Indigenous and other people of color; transfeminine, transmasculine and non-binary people; LGBTQIA+ people; people with disabilities and immigrants.  

The contest is named after Dr. Judy Rogers, former dean of undergraduate programs, who was instrumental in helping form the Interdisciplinary Women’s Studies Minor, now called the Gender Studies Minor. Rogers worked to promote representation and empowerment of women in the academy.  

“2020 was a year of much social upheaval – COVID, political turmoil, and a new wave of racial awareness. Students’ university years are a time to grow intellectually, creatively, and socially. The Creative Consciousness Challenge is a place students can showcase their growth regarding gender,” said Dr. Bernadette Barton, director of the gender studies program at MSU and professor of sociology. “The gender studies theme this year is Black Lives Matter. The leadership team felt it was important to update the contest to be current with new technologies and reward those engaged in progressive social activism. We hope that these changes encourage students from across the campus to submit their best work demonstrating transformative gender consciousness.”  

Contestants may submit research, creative writing, design, art, video or other media work. All submissions must be original work and participants are limited to one submission. The contest is open to all MSU students and is free to enter. All submissions must include a 500-word essay describing how gender studies influenced the piece being submitted.  

Works in the following media will be considered:  

• Art, 2D and 3D (painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, photography, etc.).  
• Video production (please share a link to view), including documentary, video essay, music video, news/issue videos.  
• TikTok (short videos).  
• Memes.  
• Creative writing, including essays, stories and poems.  
• Research, including papers, posters and presentations.  
• Record of social activism.  

Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place. First place is $150, second place is $100, and third place is $50.   

Submissions may be emailed to Barton at b.barton@moreheadstate.edu. Physical media must be delivered to 355 Rader Hall.  

For more information about the Creative Consciousness Challenge, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/creativeconsciousness or email Barton at b.barton@moreheadstate.edu.  

To learn more about the gender studies program at MSU, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/genderstudies, email b.barton@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2710.