Hatred is not inbred, and human decency is not a supernatural ability. We hold prejudice and biases and animosity just as we hold compassion and empathy and kindness.
These words were written in 2017, by a then-teenaged Philadelphia high school student named Erinda Sheno, as part of a winning essay contest entry. Her prescient piece — part of a contest sponsored by The Citizen and Germination Project — earned her a $10,000 scholarship, and cemented her place as a young writer with a voice.
Sheno went on to graduate from Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, then went to Penn, where she studied English and Creative Writing and made her mark in communities at the intersection of writing and civic engagement. She was a Kelly Writers’ House Fellow, a staffer at the Center for Contemporary Writing, and a Youth Leader for Vote That Jawn, the Philly-based youth voting initiative launched by author and Penn professor Lorene Cary that aims to amplify youth voices and build energy around young people voting. A first-generation American, Sheno was also immensely proud of her Albanian roots and family.
Last fall, she joined the ranks of The Citizen team as an editorial intern, writing beautiful pieces about her beloved Philadelphia: articles about youth literacy and theater, gun violence and the arts.
On August 27, all who knew Sheno were heartbroken to learn of her untimely death. In her memory and honor, and in the spirit of her passion for all things Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Citizen is proud to partner with Vote That Jawn, UPenn Creative Writing, and the Kelly Writers House to launch the first ever Sheno Prizes for Youth Writers.
The Erinda Sheno Memorial Prizes will be awarded to high school and college student writers in Philadelphia for extraordinary pieces on voting, democracy, immigration, or Philadelphia life, issues dear to Sheno. “Writing for a cause was so central to how Erinda made her place at Penn,” says Carson Eckhard, Youth Director of Vote That Jawn. “In thinking about ways that Vote That Jawn could honor her, it felt fitting to help grow the community that she was not only a part of, but that she helped shape while she was a student.”
The contest is open to any high school or college student in Philadelphia. Sheno’s work was wide-ranging and innovative; successful submissions will embrace this spirit of free-thinking and creativity. Submissions should be between 500 and 1,000 words.
The high school winner will receive a $150 honorarium and publication on Vote That Jawn’s website. The college winner will receive a $250 honorarium and publication in The Philadelphia Citizen. Runners up will have the opportunity to publish their work as well. “Erinda was such an impactful and incredibly brilliant person, and we really hope this prize will help young writers get their foot in the door,” Eckhard adds.
In Sheno’s award-winning 2017 piece, she went on to write, “I’m asking that you act on the side of decency through radical hope. It’s a difficult thing to do because it requires immense effort. All good things do.”
The Sheno Prize, then, is one way to uphold Sheno’s longing for radical hope.
The deadline to enter is January 7, 2025; you, or the students in your life, can find a full list of entry details here.
