The AAPI History Museum of Providence, Rhode Island, is the first brick-and-mortar museum of its kind in America, dedicated to making the rich history and stories of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities heard and preserved for generations to come. Their initiative to provide a space for education, healing, and shaping a brighter future has brought guests from across the country, sparked conversations, and fostered cross-community connections.
The AAPI Youth Art and Writing Competition, created by student Evelynn Leung, took submissions from students in grades 7-12 across America. Young AAPI creatives were challenged to submit their best works reflecting on the competition’s inaugural theme of Roots & Resonance, aligning with the AAPI History Museum’s mission to not only preserve the voices of the past, but uplift and celebrate the voices of the future.
CreativityUnleashed’s Founder and Creative Director had the privilege of being included on the panel of writing judges and assisted in the selection of the first, second, and third place pieces from the Nonfiction and Creative Writing categories. The winners received a year of membership to the AAPI History Museum and an Amazon gift card. Their works were displayed at the museum’s anniversary event, and are now being featured in our gallery below.
CreativityUnleashed reached out to the winners and the competition organiser with interview questions.
To read these interviews, please click on the
interview button found at the bottom of each published piece.
The idea for the AAPI Art and Writing Contest came from noticing how many talented AAPI students around me didn’t have a space to share their voices. I also saw how AAPI history is often underrepresented in classrooms, which made me think about how storytelling could fill that gap. I wanted to create something that wasn’t just a competition but a platform where students could explore their identities and speak up about issues that matter to them.
Congratulations to the Winners of the Inaugural AAPI Contest 2026
WRITING CATEGORIES
Nonfiction Writing
- Amy H., First Prize for "Dear United States"
- Katherine Y., Second Prize for "Provision By Heart"
- Alvin S., Third Prize for "In a Time Before Me, In a World Today"
Fiction/Creative Writing
- Katherine W., First Prize for "Ghost Girl"
- Christine W., Second Prize for "What We Savored in the Cold"
- Angela S. Third Prize for "Thresholds"
ART CATEGORIES
2D Art & Illustration
- Kaylee P. First Prize for "Comfort Food Uncomfortable Me"
- Claire H. - Second Prize for "The Roots We Hold"
- Xiwei Z. - Second Prize for "Quiet Strength"
- Rebecca W. - Third Prize for "A New World"
Digital Arts & Graphic Design
- Ziqi Z. - First Prize for "Entrapment"
- Jimin S. - Second Prize for "She's Going Through A Phase"
- Sophia Z. - Second Prize for "Convalescent
- Emily Z. - Third Prize for "Zheng Village"
Photography
- Xiyuan Z. - First Prize for "Vertical and Horizontal"
Applications will close
on the 3rd of July.
SCAN the QR code to apply!
NEW - SUMMER 2026
The AAPI History Museum invites middle and high school students to apply for a free summer program exploring family history and identity, culture, migration, belonging, and community leadership through visual art and creative writing. Students do not need formal art or writing experience. We are looking for young people who are curious, reflective, respectful, and interested in creatively sharing their stories.
Through this program, students will reflect on what it means to grow up in America while living between different worlds—the values and traditions of their families, and the experiences and expectations of being a young person today. Through writing and art, they will have the opportunity to explore these sometimes-competing influences and develop a stronger sense of their own identity.
Celebrating AAPI Heritage and Culture
