At first glance the op-ed might seem like an intimidating genre. But as the entries for our 2021 Op-Ed Competition remind us, it’s the personal and passionate perspectives along with the ability to reach a wide audience and effect change that make the op-ed one of the most exciting genres to write in! As our Guest Judge Naomi Zewde says, “Each op-ed was so good and taught me something new. Congratulations to everyone for participating and a special congratulations to the five finalists whose fantastic pieces I got to read.”
Check out Naomi Zewde’s winning picks below!
Winner: Writing Beyond: The Terrorist & the Bollywood Dancer by aalia27 (Australia)
This essay urges readers to write their own stories into existence, and, for me, that’s exactly what the writer accomplished. I’m an Ethiopian-American from Texas living in New York City and I have never met an Indian Muslim from Australia. Not because either of our identities are problematic or unimportant—simply because I’m unfamiliar. Reading this piece threw me into the writer’s world with exquisite details that were easily absorbed, despite knowing nothing about Australian children’s literature or the Aussie outback mythology that it references. What’s more, the piece uses empirical data to great effect to support the writer’s argument. At the beginning the piece raises a question: should the author wait for others to write them into existence? By the end, we’re glad they didn’t.
Runner-Up: Philosophical Ramifications of Social Media through The Truman Show by Uyen (Singapore)
The runner up essay was titled “Philosophical Ramifications of Social Media through The Truman Show.” It’s a clever connection to make, between social media and The Truman Show movie, but the piece does not rest on a gimmick. Instead, it is an insightful examination of the psychology and philosophy of our relationship to our objectivity—how we all desire to be experienced as a “self-satisfied” object. The piece brings further insight by identifying with Meryl, the wife of the titular Truman. Meryl knows she’s being watched but chooses to do it for money and fame, which is a choice we all seem to be making. Though in other ways, we may fail to grasp the extent to which the social media fishbowl was finely tuned to deliver profits somewhere—maybe we’re more like Truman that we think! Well done Uyen on this insightful piece.
Best Peer Review: amaryllis’s (US) review of On American Values
This peer review offered constructive feedback that can help the writer further develop their argument. The idea of adding, and refuting, a counter-argument and “acknowledging the gray” in the writer’s position read as useful suggestions. Moreover, the reviewer summarizes and reiterates these main points in the final comments, making sure to highlight exactly the pieces they’d like to see added. Finally, the reviewer points out the “adorable” story about the writer’s grandmother as a point that draws in the reader—an apt descriptor for that truly adorable anecdote!
Finalists:
A Generation of Changemakers by kate13 (US)
The Problem with “Where Are You From?” by Nawal (UK)
On American Values by Yellow Sweater (US)