Writing for Justice

September 21, 2021

This year, ASJ hosted our first-ever justice essay contest, asking 7th and 8th graders to answer, “What is an issue that needs justice and why?"


We are honored to announce our winner: Delyla Martínez, rising 8th grader from Innocademy in Michigan. Our team of judges chose Delyla's essay, “La Discriminación a Las Mujeres/Discrimination against Women,” for best fulfilling the spirit of the prompt and our vision, “working for a just society together."


Delyla writes, "Ever since I was 8 I loved to write. My dream is to become an author when I graduate high school." We are thankful for Delyla and all the contest participants for showing us that we’re never too young or old to contribute to justice.

The complete prompt: Our organization, ASJ-US, is dedicated to making Honduras a better place – a place where it’s safe to play, where everyone has access to education, and where everyone’s voice is here. We call this work, the work of justice. Justice work looks for places in our world where things aren’t right and tries to fix them. We believe justice work can happen anywhere (even in your community!) and that anyone can do justice. What is an issue that you believe needs justice and why? Who is impacted by this issue and what will the world look like if it is fixed?

  • Read Delyla's Essay in Spanish

    "La discriminación a las mujeres" escrito por Delyla Martinez

    “Somos seres humanos, somos mujeres y nadie va a seguir pisoteando nuestra dignidad”. - Lupe Gonzalo 


    Desde el siglo 1701, hemos estado sufriendo por nuestro género. Nuestras abuelas, primas, tías, mamás y cualquier mujer que está leyendo esto. Cada mujer tiene que pelear para sus derechos más que un hombre. ¿Sabes porque? Por años, los hombres han estado agregando estereotipos a nuestros nombres. Sin saber quienes somos, las personas ya tienen idea de cómo “debemos actuar” y que merecemos. 


    El problema

    Cuando un bebé nace puede ser uno de dos géneros, niña o niño. Con este título, las personas piensan que saben que pasará en la vida de ellos. Esto es un problema grande. Aunque en 1964 había el acto de Derechos Civil, muchas mujeres son rechazadas de trabajos por su género. Por ejemplo, si una mujer quiere trabajar como conductor de coches de carreras es rechazada porque las mujeres no pueden “manejar”. Eso es un estereotipo que ha estado por años. ¿Piensas que solo es con las mujeres? No es solo a las mujeres, niñas pequeñas también. Por ejemplo, una vez cuando estaba en una pista de básquetbol un niño dijo al grupo, “Es una niña no puede jugar bien”. Dijo esto antes de verme jugar, ni me conocía. ¿Sabes que hice? Gane contra él, hay demasiados casos cuando la mujer/niña no expresa cuando algo es injusto porque piensan que es “normal”. Pero como mujeres debemos quedarnos con las cabezas arriba, y cumplir nuestros objetivos y metas no es solo mirar a los hombres mientras que estamos en casa limpiando los trastes. Nosotras tenemos vidas también, invalidar a nosotras es ser un patán. 

    Todos deben saber esto.


    El solución

    Ahora, si no tratamos de cambiar esto va a continuar para siempre. Primero, las leyes necesitan ser impuestas; muchos hombres continúan abusando sexualmente a las mujeres porque saben que no van a recibir un castigo. Si dejan a los hombres hacer lo que quieren, obviamente van a ser cosas irresponsables. Cuando tenemos reglas bajo control el mundo es más seguro para todos. Otra cosa, si enseñamos a niños desde una edad joven que es espacio personal, respecto y el derecho de todos. No hubiéramos tenido tantos problemas ahorita. Los niños aprenden de sus padres, entonces si enseñas a tu hijo que el falta de respeto a las mujeres es chistoso a lo mejor continuarán a hacer eso.  Si tuviéramos una clase o un pequeño discurso en la escuela de espacio personal, respecto y los derechos de todos. Más niños pudieran actuar mejor en general. Muchas escuelas tienen pequeños conversaciones de este tema, pero no clarifican lo que significa y lo hacen aburrido. Niños no gustan las cosas que no son interesantes para ellos mismos. Si hacen la conversación más interesante, niños escuchen y entiendan la información que le estás contando. Por ejemplo, puedes crear un mini juego para enseñar que todos tienen los mismos derechos. Esto enseña a los niños que las cosas deben de ser igual para todos.


    En conclusión, las mujeres deben tener los mismos derechos como los de los hombres. Nuestro género no importa, somos fuertes y debemos ser tratados con respeto. 

  • Read Delyla's Essay in English

    "Discrimination against Women" written by Delyla Martinez

    "We are human beings, we are women and no one is going to continue to trample on our dignity." - Lupe Gonzalo


    Since the 17th century, we have been suffering for our gender. That includes our grandmothers, cousins, aunts, moms, and any woman who is reading this. Every woman has to fight for her rights more than a man. You know why? For years, men have been adding stereotypes to our names. Without knowing who we are, people already have an idea of how we "should act" and what we deserve.


    The problem

    When a baby is born it can be one of two genders, girl or boy. With this title, people think they know what will happen in their lives. This is a big problem. Although in 1964 there was the Civil Rights act, many women are rejected from jobs because of their gender. For example, if a woman wants to work as a race car driver she is rejected because women cannot "drive". That's a stereotype that's been around for years. Do you think it's only with women? It's not just women, but little girls too. For example, once when I was on a basketball court a boy told the group, "She's a girl, she can't play." He said this before he saw me play, he didn't even know me. Do you know what I did? I beat him! There are too many cases when the woman/girl doesn't express when something is unfair because they think it's "normal." But as women, we must keep our heads up. Meeting our goals and objectives means not just looking at men while we are at home cleaning the frets. We have lives too, to invalidate us is to be a patán.

    Everyone should know this.


    The solution

    Now, if we don't try to change this is going to go on forever. First, laws need to be enforced; many men continue to sexually abuse women because they know they will not be punished. If they let men do what they want, they're obviously going to be irresponsible things. When we have rules under control the world is safer for everyone. Another thing, if we teach children from a young age that it is personal space, respect and the right of all. We wouldn't have had so many problems right now. Children learn from their parents, so if you teach your child that disrespect for women is funny maybe they will continue to do that. If we had a class or a little speech in the school of personal space, respect, and the rights of all. More children could act better overall. Many schools have little conversations about this topic, but they don't clarify what it means and make it boring. Kids don't like things that aren't interesting to themselves. If you make the conversation more interesting, children will listen and understand the information you are telling them. For example, you can create a mini-game to teach that everyone has the same rights. This teaches children that things should be the same for everyone.

     

    In conclusion, women must have the same rights as men. Our gender doesn't matter, we are strong and should be treated with respect.

The essays presented here have been unedited and and remain as written by the author. The views expressed represent those of the author.


If you are interested in being notified the next time ASJ organizes a creative contest, email info@asj-us.org.

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