Due Something: Inspire Justice

*Submissions are closed at this time. Thank you to everyone who submitted their artwork!*

Due Something: Inspire Justice is a statewide, multidisciplinary art contest inviting young creators to reflect on and respond to how due process is woven throughout the foundational pillars of our democracy.

Open to art creatives ages 18–30, the contest seeks original artwork that explores the meaning and importance of due process to our civil liberties and freedoms. The principle of due process is so integral to American democracy that it appears in both the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution. We want artists to interpret the truths and aspirations of due process, especially as it pertains to fairness and civic participation, particularly within immigrant, Black, TLGBQ+, and historically excluded communities.

Winners will be announced on May 14, 2026, during the inaugural “5/14 Due Process Day” presented by the ACLU of Pennsylvania—a day designed to educate and empower young people to know their rights and have a voice in our democracy.

Selected works will not only receive professional compensation but will also be featured as part of a large-scale public awareness campaign in Pennsylvania, amplifying young Pennsylvania voices across digital, print, and community platforms.

• Ages: 18–30
• Open to creators across disciplines and sectors
• Residents of Pennsylvania or artists with strong ties to PA communities

• Visual art (illustration, painting, drawing, collage)
• Graphic design/posters
• Photography
• Written poetry or recorded spoken word
• Video: less than 3 minutes
• Original Song/Music

All art must be submitted digitally.

Three winners selected by judges will each receive $1,200 and:

• Be featured across the ACLU-PA’s Due Something: Inspire Justice campaign, including ACLU-PA social channels and website
• Be included in printed campaign materials (posters, flyers, toolkits)
• Credit in press, exhibitions, and partner outreach
• Invitation to speak or be highlighted at campaign events or exhibits

(The ACLU-PA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All recognition payments will be subject to taxation. A select number of submissions will receive honorable mention and be spotlighted when the ACLU-PA discusses due process initiatives. Artists will always be credited.)

Seraiah Nicole is an award-winning international performing artist born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ms. Nicole’s art is a fusion of jazz, spoken word, gospel and soulful vocals that speak truth to power. Delivering vitalizing vocals, powerful poetry & passionate interactive performances. Sharing stages with Sam Smith, Sonia Sanchez, Maui The Writer, AJ McQueen, LA Russell, Sa-Roc, DMC of RUN DMC, Kid N Play, Jeffrey Osborne, Frankie Beverly & Maze and working with the likes of the Philadelphia 76ers, Phillies, PGA, PBS, WHYY, Urban Outfitters, WURD, WRTI, 100.3 RNB & Rec Philly to name a few. The singer/songwriter states "The creator of all things, God, has given gifts to us all. It is my duty to use my gift to acknowledge God & encourage the world."

Elizabeth Lee is Professor of Art & Art History at Dickinson College. She teaches courses in modern, contemporary, and American art with an emphasis on artists from historically marginalized communities and on critical engagement with the history of art and its institutions.

Mark Thomas Gibson (b. 1980, Miami, Florida) explores American culture through an interlocking set of perspectives: the artist, the professor, and the devoted student of American history. Gibson examines the relationship between the individual and state power through painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking and publishing, revealing a vision of America in which every viewer is implicated as a potential character within the story. These perspectives define a practice rooted in historical inquiry and image-making.

Shawn Theodore is a Philadelphia-based interdisciplinary artist, educator, and independent curator whose practice engages Black American visual culture, cosmology, and archive. His work holds permanent collection placements in multiple private collections, notably at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. www.shawntheodo.re

Due process is not just a legal concept—it is the cornerstone of our democracy that safeguards our very existence and freedoms. This fundamental constitutional guarantee ensures that no one can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without fair procedures and legal protections. Due process protects our civil liberties in critical ways:

• Voting Rights: Guarantees that your voice matters. It requires fair procedures, adequate notice, and the opportunity to be heard before the government can restrict or remove your right to vote. Every citizen’s participation is essential to a healthy democracy.
• Immigrants’ Rights: Extends protections to all individuals, affirming that everyone — regardless of citizenship status— has the right to legal representation. When ICE uses cruel and abusive tactics to detain people—such as racial profiling at traffic stops, warrantless raids, or aggressive arrests—they disregard not only due process, but also the dignity and humanity of our neighbors.
• Public Defense: The right to effective legal representation is a fundamental aspect of due process. It ensures that anyone accused of a crime, no matter their financial situation, has a fair chance to challenge the government's case against them. Justice must be accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford it.

Through your chosen art form, explore how due process protects all who call Pennsylvania home.