The exploration of identity and courage through writing offers a powerful avenue for self-expression and community connection, particularly among young individuals. In our most recent Fall 2019 Student Writing Competition, so many emerging student writers dazzled us as they delved into developing landscapes of vulnerability and introspection. This article examines the anthology's exploration of these themes, highlighting exceptional student work and the profound impact of creative writing on personal growth.
Summer Book Recommendations for 2025
With summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to look for some inspiring and engaging reads. If you’re looking for more stories about identity, courage, and self-discovery, these books are some of our favorites. Each of these picks presents distinct perspectives and engaging stories that appeal to readers young and old. Memoirs and collections of essays provide close, personal views of other lives. They serve to create empathy and understanding in the world of non-fiction.
Whether it’s through novels or short stories, these authors take readers to entirely new worlds. Through the lens of fiction, they give us the chance to grapple with difficult realities and feelings alongside beloved characters. Looking forward to summer 2025—with you all! These curated, compelling reads will inspire you to think more critically and creatively about who you are and how you show up in the world.
Overview of the Recommended Titles
As in years past, the summer reading list features a plethora of wonderful books exploring the complexities of identity and the courage it takes to be an ally. One exceptional title is a fearless memoir from a young immigrant. She balances the pressures of cultural assimilation with an intense determination to preserve her identity and individuality. Her journey is an inspiration to all who believe in the strength and spirit needed to rise above challenges and honor one’s culture.
Read an extraordinary series of writing by new voices. Each author then explores their interpretation of this year’s theme of vulnerability, contributing their own insight to the conversation. Each of these essays provides a frank and genuine story about individual challenges, victories, and the never-ending process of learning how to embody our true selves. For those who prefer fiction, a novel about a young woman who takes a transformative journey of self-discovery after experiencing a personal tragedy is included. She is forced to confront her fears every day through her new experiences. She accepts her uniqueness, and in the end, she finds the bravery to lead a life that’s uniquely her own.
Why These Books Stand Out
These books are remarkable because of their ability to resonate with readers on an almost spiritual level. From relatable characters, authentic narratives, and thought-provoking themes, communities of every demographic can see a piece of themselves reflected in the stories. What distinguishes these books are their fearless pursuits of the messiness of what it means to be human. They don’t retreat from provocative subjects, but instead face them directly, with honesty, openness and sensitivity.
By sharing stories of vulnerability, resilience, and self-discovery, these books inspire readers to reflect on their own lives and to find the courage to pursue their dreams. Additionally, each of these titles fosters cultural learning and appreciation by sharing the varied human experiences and viewpoints that make up our world. They encourage readers to step outside of their comfort zones, challenge their assumptions, and embrace the richness of the world around them.
The Influence of Art on Personal Development
Art, in all of its mediums, has a power beyond measure over one’s self-awareness and self-discovery. Being a part of art has the power to expand outlooks and stir creativity within oneself. It grows a greater awareness of yourself and your environment. Art presents powerful opportunities to engage and navigate the complexities of our feelings, thoughts, and experiences. It gives us the power to show what words can’t quite describe.
Surround yourself with creative work to cultivate your own creativity. Plus, you’ll develop your critical thinking skills and improve your physical and mental health. Art is a reflection of ourselves, showing all the glorious potential and complexity as well as the darkness that we possess. It cultivates a spirit of contemplation, compassion, and an awareness of the intricacies and richness of human existence.
Immersion in Artistic Culture
Nothing beats immersion in postsecondary artistic culture as a catalyst for personal growth, as the intense experience serves to enlighten students’ world views and broaden their creative practice. Visit art galleries, museums, and performance spaces to open your mind to new perspectives and cultures. Through these experiences you’ll develop the ability to possess multiple perspectives and deep understanding of cultures and aesthetic traditions. Through both education and hands-on experience, this exposure can create empathy, break down silos and stereotypes, and develop innovators in the process.
Additionally, there is no better vehicle than creative culture to usher someone into connections with their own growth and individuality. Take in and study the work of your peers and other artists. You’ll come away with a better understanding of your creative process and a sharpened aesthetic eye. They can begin to understand the nuances of different artistic styles and techniques. This knowledge can inform and enhance their own creative work.
Developing a Unique Artistic Voice
Finding a distinctive artistic voice often is an important goal of the personal growth process for young artists. It’s about developing a unique voice, vision, and body of work that comes from who you are as a person and the life you’ve lived. It’s an ongoing process, but it involves experimentation, self-reflection, and a willingness to take risks.
Artists learn to hone their distinct voice through the lens of their own identity, cultural heritage and lived experience. They can play within the role of artist too, experimenting with new artistic mediums and techniques to determine what will further enhance their creative vision. By embracing their individuality and expressing themselves authentically, artists can create works that resonate with audiences and leave a lasting impact.
The Role of Patterns in Artistic Expression
Patterns are instrumental in artistic expression. Intermediate guides are critical to developing visually engaging and meaningful works of public art. More patterns can be observed in the natural world, built environment, and different cultural traditions, giving artists an exciting hub of inspiration. When artists use patterns in their artwork, they can develop a rhythm, harmony, and visual allure.
Patterns can go beyond these functional explanations to express deeper symbolic meanings and cultural narratives. Some designs may relate to specific Indigenous cultural practices or past traumas. This association imbues the artwork with layers of depth and meaning. Artists can manipulate patterns to create different effects, such as movement, texture, and depth, enhancing the overall aesthetic impact of their work.
Creating Movement and Energy in Art
There’s a reason that patterns can make art kinetic, transformative, lively, and forceful. This rich new tool impressively entices the viewer’s attention and creates an energetic feeling to the work. Artists have the ability to do this through a variety of approaches. Or they could have them duplicate patterns, change the size and pitch, or introduce different colors and materials.
Repeating patterns can create a sense of rhythm and flow, guiding the viewer's eye across the artwork and creating a sense of movement. Changing the scale and direction of patterns can create visual interest and create depth and dimension. Using contrasting colors and textures can further enhance the sense of movement and energy, making the artwork feel alive and vibrant.
The Impact of Patterns on Viewer Perception
Patterns can be sweet or super powerful. Patterns have a MAJOR impact on how viewers perceive your work. They determine how audiences read and interact with a piece of art. Patterns can impose a sense of order and harmony on the visual chaos all around, giving our eyes a reprieve with a structured beauty. Certain patterns, for example, have a unique ability to suggest pleasant emotions and associations. This meaning is largely defined by the cultural landscape that shapes how visualizations are perceived.
Geometric patterns impart a sense of order and reason. Organic patterns evoke feelings of the natural world, movement, and growth. Repetitive markings create a sense of cadence and consistency. Non-traditional rhythms and cycles introduce disorder and the unexpected to the stage. By carefully considering the impact of patterns on viewer perception, artists can create works of art that are both visually appealing and emotionally resonant.
Portraits as Reflections of Real Life
Portraits can sometimes most richly portray the lived experience. They bare the soul of people and put their stories on display through vivid imagery. Portraits may be lifelike representations or exaggerated formats, presenting different experiences of the individual. Artists use endless methods to create striking and memorable images. Through masterful control of composition, lighting and color, they create work that evokes strong emotions.
A portrait is the physical likeness of an individual, yes, but it tells us more than that. It reveals their character, mood, point-of-view and socioeconomic background. Additionally, they can function as historical documents, keeping the image of people alive in perpetuity for their descendants to see. Portraits can additionally be used as a medium to push against societal expectations and celebrate the complicated beauty of human existence.
The Balance Between Realism and Stylization
Striking a balance between realism and stylization is an important factor for portrait artists to consider. Realism is all about portraying the subject the way they are as faithfully and truthfully as possible. In stylization, features are exaggerated or simplified to create an aesthetic effect. The balance between realism vs stylization should come down to the end goal of the work and what the artist is trying to communicate.
Realistic portraits can provide a detailed and accurate representation of the subject, allowing viewers to connect with them on a personal level. While stylized portraits can be more emotional, creative, and exciting, capturing the essence of character or person in a more visceral fashion. It’s common practice for artists to mix realistic qualities with stylized details to create portraits that are captivating as well as emotionally impactful.
Composites and Their Emotional Resonance
In portraits Composites mean combining different pieces of art together. This can be everything from the subject’s pose, and facial expression, to the background lighting. Technical elements such as lighting and composition serve an important function in helping the portrait speak emotionally. No matter the subject, a well-composed portrait should inspire a rollercoaster of emotions, from joy and cheerfulness to sadness and reflection.
The way you pose a subject helps determine whether they look confident, vulnerable, or dominant. The set of their mouth can tell you if they’re about to smile or frown. The world around them should help build context and complexity to the portrait. By thoughtfully addressing each of these aspects, artists can make composites that are not only aesthetic eye-catchers, but impactful communicators.
The Importance of Celebrating Everyday Individuals in Art
Focusing on everyday people in art opens the door to more inclusivity, diversity and a fuller picture of society we sculpt. Traditionally, artists have focused their efforts on depicting monarchy, Hollywood icons, and other elites. As a consequence, the voices and experiences of everyday Americans have sometimes taken a back seat. By deliberately moving away from so-called experts and toward regular people, artists can subvert existing hierarchies. In the process, they uplift the inherent worth of every human life.
Portraits of ordinary people help us reconnect with the idea that everyone deserves a story. Yet, we need to uplift these educational experiences and let them shine. These portraits humanize people with disabilities and help cultivate empathy and understanding. They are a unique opportunity for viewers to relate to other people from different backgrounds and experiences. By acknowledging the voices of everyday people through representation in art, we have the chance to build a more inclusive and equitable society.
Counteracting Celebrity Culture
Displacing the lure of celebrity culture requires prioritizing ordinary people over the wealthy and famous. By emphasizing attainment of superficial wealth and fame through exclusive means, celebrity culture leads students to cultivate unrealistic expectations and prioritize an unhealthy, narrow definition of success. By depicting ordinary people in art, artists can offer an alternative perspective that celebrates authenticity, resilience, and the beauty of everyday life.
Portraits of everyday individuals can serve as a powerful antidote to celebrity culture, reminding viewers that true value lies in human connection, personal growth, and making a positive impact on the world. These portraits challenge us all to see the beauty and diversity of humanity around us. Rather, they cultivate robust community and kinship ties that engender belonging.
The Value of Dramatic Portraits of Regular People
The dramatic portraits of everyday folks are far more powerful. They transform the mundane and reveal the magnificent concealed within the commonplace modern existence. Dramatic portraits portray the drama of human feeling and the journey of human being. They magnificently embody the resilience of the human spirit. Artists accomplish this through the use of dynamic compositions, exaggerated chiaroscuro, theatrical facial expressions, and lush, suggestive settings. Those ingredients allow them to make portraits that are visually gorgeous and emotionally gripping.
These beautifully painted portraits inspire audiences to reconsider everyday Americans. They challenge us to see their humanity, to understand their value and celebrate the multifaceted nature of their existence. In the right context, artistic and dramatic portraits of everyday people can be a game changer. They capture the pain and passion of marginalized communities as they fight for their freedom and demand social justice.
The Legacy of Artistic Work
The artistic legacy stretches well beyond the artist’s lifetime, creating cultural ecosystems and inspiring work for generations to come. Artistic endeavors are documents of history, capturing the virtues, ideologies, and lived realities of an era and locality. They have the potential to challenge societal norms, inspire social change, and promote critical thinking.
That was the most powerful measure of artistic work—how it changes what we notice, feel, and do in the world. Just as art can shape how we think, it can inspire us to be more creative, compassionate, and engaged citizens. It can provide a sense of connection to the past, present, and future, reminding us of our shared humanity.
The Transience of Art and Its Impact
The impermanence of art serves as a reminder that, ultimately, all works of art are ephemeral too. They are prone to rotting, dilapidation, or obsolescence. Though art may be ephemeral, its capacity for permanence—and its power to change people and the world around them—is tremendous. The themes, narratives, feelings, and perspectives expressed through creative practice can touch audiences in ways that linger well past the piece’s own removal.
The transience of art can serve as a reminder of the importance of cherishing and preserving our cultural heritage. By protecting and promoting artistic creations, we can make sure that they are allowed to thrive and inspire and educate for generations to come. It encourages artists to use the temporary nature of their medium to make art that’s important. This meaningful focus ensures they have a long term impact on the global stage.
Connecting with Audiences Through Art
Engaging with your audiences through art is key to creating work that is relevant and transformational. Throughout history artists have been able to reach audiences across time and space by tapping into the human experience, using universal themes – love, loss, joy, suffering. And they can employ the powerful tools of storytelling to build narratives that connect with audiences and influence them on an emotional level.
In addition, artists have the opportunity to use their platforms to reach new audiences by developing work that is approachable and relevant. Collaboration doesn’t have to mean compromising artistic integrity or diluting your message either. Emphasize creative approaches to communicating complicated concepts in straightforward, understandable ways. Through powerful engagement, artists can make works that uplift, unsettle, and reshape the society in which we all exist.
Susanna Audi, an eighth-grader from the suburbs of New York, exemplifies the power of student writing to explore identity and courage. Her prize-winning essay in the Fall 2019 Student Writing Competition reflects on her experience as a Brazilian-American. As an artist she expressed in a compelling manner her experience of being disconnected from her Brazilian family and culture while living in the United States. Susanna’s essay is a glimpse into her unique ability to articulate the complexity of emotion and turmoil that comes with being a double cultural exile.
She dreams of establishing her own creative design practice. This goal speaks to her interest in reclaiming her Brazilian heritage and culture while making a name for herself in the industry. Susanna's work demonstrates how writing can be a tool for self-discovery, allowing young individuals to explore their identities and embrace their cultural heritage.
Keon Tindle, Cherry Guo and Madison Greene are further winners of the Fall 2019 Student Writing Competition. From magical realism to environmental justice, their work represents the rich and varied tapestry of perspectives within the student writing community. Keon and Cherry, first place winners from high school, stood out with their powerful essays that spoke to their personal experiences and individual voices. Madison, as one of the university winners, shared her thoughts and experience in creating this brave reflection on identity and courage.
The Student Writing Competition provides a unique opportunity for students to give voice to their creativity and perspectives. It helps them learn about themselves through poetry and creative writing. By encouraging students to explore their personal experiences and cultural backgrounds, the competition fosters self-expression, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Inspired by Kayla DeVault's article, “Native and European—How Do I Honor All Parts of Myself,” the Student Writing Competition aimed to provide a safe and supportive space for students to explore the theme of identity. The competition was honored to receive many great essays from students around the country with different backgrounds and life experiences.
The quality of these essays submitted to the competition served as an example and reminder of the impressive diversity, depth, and talent that these student writers possess. Each performed poetic magic, communicating exquisite soulsickness, hybrid heritages, and personal truths. The Student Writing Competition is a great opportunity for students to more broadly tell their powerful stories. It challenges them to develop a more effective writing style and their creative talents.
The Fall 2019 Student Writing Competition exemplifies the transformative power of writing as a tool for self-discovery and community connection. Through exploring the competition and creating their films, students have a space to dive into their identities and raise their voices in new ways. This empowers their self-expression, critical thinking, and more meaningful understanding of the world around them.
The success of the competition underscores the importance of supporting creative writing programs in schools and communities, empowering young individuals to explore their identities, embrace their cultural heritage, and find the courage to share their stories with the world. The resulting anthology of these student essays is a testament to the transformative, healing, galvanizing power of writing. It continues to humble, inspire, connect, and transform lives in profound ways.
To further inspire readers to explore their own identities through writing, consider the following prompts:
- Write about a time when you felt like an outsider. How did you navigate that experience?
- Explore your cultural heritage through writing. What traditions, values, or beliefs are important to you?
- Write a letter to your younger self, offering advice and encouragement as you navigate the challenges of adolescence.
- Reflect on a moment when you had to be courageous. What did you learn from that experience?
- Write a poem or short story that celebrates your unique identity and perspective.
Creative writing is not just about self-discovery. It deepens empathy for others and creates a culture that’s more welcoming and kind to everyone. The Coastal Voices anthology serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of writing and the importance of supporting young voices.
