A toast to the twelve young authors and eight young artists who earned awards for their poetry, essays and art this year. Their work inspires us all. It displays imagination, thoughtfulness, and an ability to make links between individual lived experience and larger social issues.

The “Making Work Visible” contest has evolved a bit each year. The new addition in this, its fourth year, is the category of visual art. CUNY undergraduate student writers and artists both draw upon history, upon close observation of the city around them, and upon the wealth of first hand experiences they bring to their efforts.

The range is impressive. Jardley Jean-Louis’ painting of a Certified Nurse Aide takes you inside, to the lives of patient and aide. Jessica Guerra analyzes the process of gentrification in Williamsburg from an economist’s and a sociologist’s perspective—and intersperses vivid stories from a family who has lived through it. “Bubby’s Blood” is the story of Ariella Michal Medows’ grandmother—whose past, and spirit, are somehow in Ariella’s blood. Finally—two lines from Jess Williard’s poem:

Let me state this as simply as possible:
There was a girl whose hands cupped to her hips when she walked
like they were holding liquid secrets.

…

But what I haven’t forgotten about is how,
in the dim light of motel room lamps,
what was interesting to her were the calluses on my hands.

Read them all—you will be moved, surprised, impressed.

We sincerely hope that these young authors and artists continue on with their work—their voices demand to be heard.

Background / Acknowledgments:

The CUNY/Labor Arts contest is dedicated to expanding and revitalizing the study of work and workers at CUNY, and is open to any undergraduate attending a CUNY college. Begun in 2010, it encourages students to write creatively and analytically about work and workers, to make art about work and workers, and to link their efforts to labor arts. Art by or about working people, including photographs, paintings, buttons, banners, posters and songs are all included in our definition of labor arts.

We would like to thank all of the students who submitted work for the 2012–13 contest, and to congratulate the authors of the prize-winning essays and poems and the creators of the visual art featured in this exhibit.

The contest is funded by The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation, and was made possible this year through the efforts of The Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation and Don Rubin and Bruce Payne; Lehman College/CUNY and Associate Dean Terrence Cheng; and LaborArts and Rachel Bernstein, Henry Foner and Evelyn Jones Rich.

Special thanks go to our judges: Professors Salita Bryant (Narrative, Fiction/non-fiction); Nicole Cooley (Poetry); Vincent DiGirolamo (Essays); and Becca Albee (Visual Art).

The photographs of students were all taken by photographer Gary Schoichet at the Awards Ceremony, held at the Lehman College Art Gallery on April 18, 2012.

We were honored to have CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein, Brooklyn College Dean and labor historian Kimberley Phillips and Lehman College Dean Deirdre Pettipiece all speak at the awards ceremony.