CULTURE The 2023 Youth Art Exhibit presented by the Center for Youth Equity

Young people’s voices should be included in conversations about making their neighborhoods and schools safe, supportive spaces where they can thrive. Their perspectives on fairness, safety, and community can inspire action toward a future free from violence and full of opportunity. To amplify their voices and creative expression, the Center for Youth Equity at Tulane University invited young artists in the New Orleans area to submit original artwork on the theme of “Culture” and the many aspects that combine to define identity. This could be the arts (drawing, playing music, or other expression) or customs (traditions, food, and language of your ethnicity and community) that provide belonging, inspiration, and support.

A judging panel selected winners of a Grand Prize award, prizes in each age group, and honorable mentions. All entrants have their art included in this exhibit and on this webpage.

photo credit to Camila Santi

Prize Winners

Grand Prize

Gianni Cobb

Black culture, especially Black-American culture, is something that I hold dear to me. The figure on the left represents the past, and how my ancestors will always shadow and be a part of me. The figure on the far right represents various styles seen all throughout the diaspora. The figure in the middle represents culture as a whole, the grillz having gold and silver elements to show how there are so many overlaps and depth to culture, but it always comes out shining.

11 to 13 Age Group

Taryn Madden

For this piece, I developed a sketch with sharpie and pencil. Then I colored her face and dress with colored pencil. After that, I filled in the hair with marker and went over it with colored pencil to add depth and texture. For the background I used a checkered pattern from a dark to a light fade. To top it off, I used sharpie to add the quote at the top.

14 to 16 Age Group

Ilesa Hinkle

This piece honors my Indian heritage, weaving the flamboyant tapestry of India's festivals. In the heart of a starry night, amid Diwali's festivities, a celebration of light conquering darkness, the canvas breathes with a mesmerizing tableau of the festival in motion. In the midst, a girl adorned in customary attire embodies Indian traditions, emanating a serene demeanor, a testament to our resilient spirit and the lasting beauty of cultural customs that bind us.

17 to 18 Age Group

Maddie Colombo

The piece is named Flores de Noche. My grandma was born and raised in Mexico, and in honor of this submission being due on November 1, this piece celebrates La Día de los Muertos. La Día de los Muertos has been a part of my culture for as long as I remember, and my family celebrates it yearly. I depicted a lady dancing in a traditional dress on a field of marigolds. I also created an ofrenda, which is used to honor those who have passed on in our family.

17 to 18 Age Group

Gretchen Manning

The artwork depicts the culture of the indie music genre through a portrait of the artist Phoebe Bridgers. Indie music traditionally is an independent, creative approach to songwriting and make-up. Bridgers is a well-known indie music artist who often writes about strong emotions and subjects other artists stray away from. The text above is lyrics from her song "I Know the End" which is about a desolate depiction of recent issues in American affairs..

Honorable Mention Awards

Sarah Dodson, Savannah Fouchi, Mariella Smith, Allie Steele, Elaine Sun, Ayla Williams, & Chlo'ee Williams.

11 to 13 Age Group

Taryn Manning, Age 12, Orleans Parish | Winner of 11 to 13 Age Group | For this piece, I developed a sketch with sharpie and pencil. Then I colored her face and dress with colored pencil. After that, I filled in the hair with marker and went over it with colored pencil to add depth and texture. For the background I used a checkered pattern from a dark to a light fade. To top it off, I used sharpie to add the quote at the top.
Si'untra Noel, Age 13, Orleans Parish | My cultural painting shows two sides. The colors come together, the right and left side of the world is everyone, but the colors that are splashed around on the painting means to be you! No matter if it's the darkest color or brightest color, it's something that shows our emotions and feelings the community has colors that put smiles on each and everyone's face. Cultural colors come from: lifestyle, background, and love. This colors are for everyone no matter the tone.
Elaine Sun, Age 12, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention |This art piece is called ‘Isolation’. It is meant to represent many different aspects of the word “Culture”. However, it can be interpreted in any way the viewer believes is right.
Ny'lia Warner, Age 13, Orleans Parish | Many vibrant colors and use of many materials. Quotes are used and time was used to care for it. Used materials: Magazines, paper, markers, glue.
Ayla Williams, Age 12, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | People always separated culture and the people in that culture. Why. When they told me about the theme, I couldn't make up my mind from the afro to the kimono. I just knew I had to stop keeping them separated. I had an idea. Why separate the culture and only do one. Join them together. We can't always stay separated. The background has mixes of blues, blacks, and red. I didn't want to separate the colors. The background shows unity not separation. We all need to stick together. We are all human.
Chlo'ee Williams, Age 11, Orleans Parish | Honorable Mention | In Not So Different by Shane Burcaw, he writes, “I’m just a little different” (p.2). I don’t feel different. Shane Burcaw writes that he needs help with a lot of things. I only need help with a little bit of things, and I have my mom and my friends to help me. Like Shane Burcaw, I’m the only one in my family with a spinal cord injury. In the book, there is a picture of Shane Burcaw falling out of his wheelchair while playing with his friends. One time, I fell out of my wheelchair. We were playing tag. It was funny. The author talks about getting made fun of; sometimes I get made fun of, but most of the time I don’t because the children know that I will mess them up.

14 to 16 Age Group

Ilesa Hinkle, Age 14, Orleans Parish | Winner of 14 to 16 Age Group | This piece honors my Indian heritage, weaving the flamboyant tapestry of India's festivals. In the heart of a starry night, amid Diwali's festivities, a celebration of light conquering darkness, the canvas breathes with a mesmerizing tableau of the festival in motion. In the midst, a girl adorned in customary attire embodies Indian traditions, emanating a serene demeanor, a testament to our resilient spirit and the lasting beauty of cultural customs that bind us.
Rajesh Kumar, 14, Orleans Parish | The theme wanted me to do something cultural, I instantly thought of Japan. Japan is a very colorful, beautiful place thats full of culture! This car is iconic to Japan. It is a legend of all Japanese car culture. The R34 Nissan Skyline Gt-R Nismo is every car enthusiasts dream. It heavily represents Japanese car culture for what it truly is. Art!
Ainsley Markey, Age 14, Plaquemines Parish |A water color painting of a town and mountains in italy. This is a place where my grandparents live and it shows my culture of from where my family lives.
Ella Rivet, Age 14, Orleans Parish | When I think of New Orleans, I think of streetcars automatically. I made this picture because it reminds me of New Orleans and the culture surrounding the city. Streetcars play a big part in the city and have embedded themselves into the culture of New Orleans and the culture of Louisiana.
Allie Steele, Age 14, Jefferson Parish | Honorable Mention | It is a painting of someone throwing a bead off a float. It is very colorful, but the background is darker to show contrast.
Julia Jacob, Age 14, St. Bernard Parish | The art that I submitted is about my culture and ethnicity. On my mom side my ethnicity is Islaños and I live in Chalmette. The cross you see in the background is the cross from hurricane katrina and it represents where I grew up.

17 to 18 Age Group

Samarah Bentley, 18, Jefferson Parish | Honorable Mention | "Fro' all the Girls" is a piece that reflects the joy and sisterhood I find with other Black girls--and how we come in all different shades, shapes, and more. There is no one "type" of black girl. We are nerds and geeks, dancers and doctors, writers and athletes and everything in between.
Gianni Cobb, 17, Orleans Parish | Grand Prize Winner | Black culture, especially Black-American culture, is something that I hold dear to me. The figure on the left represents the past, and how my ancestors will always shadow and be a part of me. The figure on the far right represents various styles seen all throughout the diaspora. The figure in the middle represents culture as a whole, the grillz having gold and silver elements to show how there are so many overlaps and depth to culture, but it always comes out shining.
Maddie Colombo, 18, Jefferson Parish | Winner of 17 to 18 Age Group | The piece is named Flores de Noche. My grandma was born and raised in Mexico, and in honor of this submission being due on November 1, this piece celebrates La Día de los Muertos. La Día de los Muertos has been a part of my culture for as long as I remember, and my family celebrates it yearly. I depicted a lady dancing in a traditional dress on a field of marigolds. I also created an ofrenda, which is used to honor those who have passed on in our family.
Sarah Dodson, 17, Jefferson Parish | Honorable Mention |Gothic culture is not only extremely vital to the New Orleans area but also a part of my personal life. There is a combination of acrylic, black ink, and graphite.
Savannah Fouchi, 17, Orleans Parish | New Orleans culture is enticing, magical, and colorful. This culture flows through my veins, interwoven with cherished memories and long-standing traditions. I went to school in uptown NOLA, so would often ride the street car after school. I would look out the window, passing all of the beautiful oak trees and architecture, and feel lucky to live in a diverse and lively city. Through my artwork, I portray the feeling a tourist would experience when stepping into the city.
Caroline Green, 17, Orleans Parish | In this artwork I drew a crawfish boil pot. I drew this because when I think of my culture I think of my family. One thing that reminds me of my family is a crawfish boil. This is because my family has a yearly get-together for Easter in which family from out of state comes to my aunt's house. At my aunt's house, my family has a crawfish boil and we catch up with the side of the family that lives in Texas. We have had this family get-together for as long as I can remember.
Gretchen Manning, 17, Orleans Parish | Winner in 17 to 18 Age Group | The artwork depicts the culture of the indie music genre through a portrait of the artist Phoebe Bridgers. Indie music traditionally is an independent, creative approach to songwriting and make-up. Bridgers is a well-known indie music artist who often writes about strong emotions and subjects other artists stray away from. The text above is lyrics from her song "I Know the End" which is about a desolate depiction of recent issues in American affairs.
Elizabeth McCrary, 17, Jefferson | Mount Carmel Academy Culture
Mariella Smith, 17, Jefferson Parish | Honorable Mention | Tap is one of my passions. I am constantly seeking to improve myself, but learning can prove difficult when tap is a dying art. However, it has rich culture: It originated on the slave ships (hence the water), where people would use rhythm to communicate, and it was popularized as a performance art mainly seen through movies (hence the film strips). Now, the continuation of tap relies on the people who practice it.
Olivia St. Martin, 17, Orleans Parish |  This piece describes one of my family traditions. Since I was a kid my family would gather on Palms Sunday for a crawfish boil. This piece reminds me of the great memories I have from these gatherings.
Lauren Vance, 17 Orleans Parish | I was raised in a music-loving family, specifically pop and rock from the 1970s and 1980s. Growing up, all I would listen to was classic rock and pop from my parent's generation. My favorite part of my day is listening to my favorite artists from that generation, including Journey, Bon Jovi, Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss, and so many more. These genres encompass who I am as a unique individual, and I hope to accurately visualize the culture I hold dear to my heart and soul.

Thank You to Judging Panel of Yashira Lopez Davalos, Ayo Scott, & Remy Diamond, Coordinating Committee Members Alex Jaouiche, Carrie Moulder, & Camila Santi, VPI Staff & Executive Team, and Big Couch.

About the Center for Youth Equity | The Center for Youth Equity is a culturally responsive youth violence prevention research center embedded within the ongoing community partnerships and existing infrastructure of the Violence Prevention Institute of Tulane University to build and strengthen the network for youth violence prevention in New Orleans and across the Gulf South. It receives funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of their National Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention (YVPCs).

Learn More about the Center for Youth Equity