Remedies Blog Contest
“Disease is cured by the right use of remedies.”
-Frederick Douglass
In his 1881 article, The Color Line, Frederick Douglass said, “Few evils are less accessible to the force of reason, or more tenacious of life and power, than a long-standing prejudice.” He considered racism a “moral disorder” that distorts perception “according to its own diseased imagination.”
Contest Question
If racial oppression is a kind of disease, what are some of your recommendations for remedies and how can they be applied?
How Blog Entries Will Be Judged
- Content and Analysis: Author conveys complex ideas and information clearly and accurately. Author supports claims in their analysis of the topic.
- Coherence and Organization: Author logically organizes complex ideas, concepts, and information using effective transitions.
- Style: Author expresses innovative ideas in a compelling way. Author intentionally communicates information and establishes tone. Author establishes and maintains authentic voice.
Official Rules
There is no purchase necessary to enter or to win the Remedies Blog Contest. All local, state and federal laws and restrictions apply. Void where prohibited by law.
Beginning: June 1, 2020 at 10:00 am Eastern Time
Deadline: June 19, 2020 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time
Remedies Blog Contest Rules
Eligible participants must submit their blog or essay at https://fdfi.org/blog. No other form (hand-written or audio, for instance) will be accepted. Entries must be received within the submission period or they will not be considered for one of the contest prizes. Participants agree that Frederick Douglass Family Initiative (FDFI) may post their entry at www.fdfi.org. Not all entries will be posted online. Entry into the Remedies Blog Contest constitutes full and unconditional agreement and acceptance of contest rules. Participants agree to hold FDFI, its sponsors and contest partners harmless from any claim arising from the contest. The odds of winning will depend upon the number of valid entries that are received. FDFI will own and administer the copyright for each entry. FDFI may edit the entries that are posted online for spelling or grammatical errors. Participants may only submit one entry. The Remedies Blog Contest will be judged by FDFI and its surrogates. All decisions are final and binding and may not be appealed by participants. Winners will be notified on or before June 26, 2020 by phone or by e-mail. Winners will be encouraged to record a short video for publication during a July 4, 2020 webcast. This is not a requirement to win and will only be requested after the winner is notified. FDFI reserves all rights.
Who is Eligible?
Anyone that is 13-years-old to 22-years-old on June 19, 2020, living in the United States, the District of Columbia or a United States territory may enter the Remedies Blog Contest. Employees or family members of FDFI or of contest sponsors are not eligible to enter.
About Your Submission
Entries must be 500 words at minimum and a maximum of 800 words. Entries with more or fewer words will not be considered. Please try to use 12-point font with a common style such as Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial. This is a recommended guideline. Entries that do not follow this recommended guideline, but are easily legible, will be eligible to win. Entries that are not easily legible or contain material that is deemed indecent or objectionable by FDFI will not be considered. To help aid in their writing, contestants can get free access to Grammarly Premium for the duration of the contest period by reaching out to info@fdfi.org. Grammarly Premium can help with word choice, writing style, and tone; it can even help identify passages that need citations. Entries must be received by June 19, 2020 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. All entries must be original works by the participants.
Prizes
FDFI will award a total of seven (7) prizes. Three (3) prizes of $1,000 will be given in the Rochester, New York (Monroe County) area; one (1) prize to each of three (3) age groups: 13-15, 16-18 and 19-22. Three (3) prizes of $1,000 will be given to one (1) person in each of those same age groups in any other location (outside of Rochester, New York) within the United States, the District of Columbia or in a United States territory. One (1) prize of $2,000 will be given to one (1) person among the eligible entries. Each prize winner will also receive a free one-year subscription to Grammarly Premium, a t-shirt and a special, limited edition copy of FDFI’s Bicentennial Edition of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Prizes will be received by winners within 90 days of notification.
Website Security
In the event of a problem with web security and/or administration of the contest, FDFI may, at its sole discretion, delay or cancel the contest.
Disputes
Participants agree that all disputes arising from the Remedies Blog Contest or the prizes awarded will be resolved individually under the laws of New York State.
FAQs
What should I write about?
In an 1881 article called, “The Color Line,” Frederick Douglass referred to racial prejudice in terms of a disease. Using that same analogy, what remedies would you suggest for addressing the disease of racism? And how can we apply them?
Is there a word limit?
There is a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 800 words. Please keep these guidelines in mind because we will not be able to select a winning entry that uses fewer or more words.
Who is eligible to enter?
To enter you must be between 13-years-old and 22-year-old on June 19, 2020. You must also live within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia or a United States territory.
What is the deadline for submitting my blog entry?
June 19, 2020 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. Please don’t be late.
When and where will winners be announced?
Winners will be announced publicly during FDFI’s Remedies Live Webcast on July 4, 2020. We will notify winners by June 26, 2020.
I have big ideas, and I would love some help to effectively convey these ideas in writing. How can I get help?
We are proud to partner with Grammarly, the company behind the AI-powered writing assistant, to offer each participant who enters the contest free access to Grammarly Premium for the duration of the contest. Grammarly Premium can help with word choice, writing style, and tone. It can even help identify passages that need citations. Please reach out to info@fdfi.org with a request to access Grammarly’s Premium features.
Can I continue to use Grammarly after the contest is over? How can I get Grammarly for my personal use?
Grammarly offers a free version of its AI-powered writing assistant, as well as Grammarly Premium, a paid upgrade. All contest participants will continue to have access to Grammarly’s free features after the contest duration. Contest winners will receive a free one-year subscription to Grammarly Premium. You can learn more about Grammarly by visiting grammarly.com/about.
Can I get help from other people?
You can certainly bounce your ideas off another person, but this contest is all about what’s in your mind and how you communicate your ideas through the written word.
How many times can I enter?
Just one entry per person.
Who will judge my work?
Your work will be judged by FDFI staff, a small group of volunteers and Frederick Douglass descendants.
If you have additional questions, please email us at info@fdfi.org.