Speak Up
Tell world leaders what you think needs to happen to save the environment.
Prizes
- Grand prize:
- $2,500
- Second place:
- $1,000
- Third place:
- $500
- 350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund
Matching total prize donations to benefit 350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund.
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Feb 17, 2020
Submissions closed
Mar 13, 2020 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Mar 20, 2020
Prizes
- Grand prize:
- $2,500
- Second place:
- $1,000
- Third place:
- $500
- 350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund
Matching total prize donations to benefit 350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund.
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Feb 17, 2020
Submissions closed
Mar 13, 2020 3:59 AM CUT
Results
Mar 20, 2020
About this challenge
Australia is burning, Antarctica is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and politicians are mocking the young activists speaking out. It’s time for something to change.
Enter the Speak Up challenge to tell world leaders what you stand for and what you think needs to happen to save the environment.
How to enter
- Get inspired to make a change and start creating your story—here’s how: https://vocal.media/resources/step-4-create-your-first-story.
- When submitting your story for review, select “Submit to a Challenge” and select “Speak Up.”
- When your story has been approved, it will appear under Submissions on this page.
- BONUS: Share your published story on Instagram and tag us (@vocal_creators) so we don’t miss it! Encourage your friends and fans to read it and give it a like on Vocal—it could give your story a leg up in judging.
About this Challenge
We want to hear what you have to say. We’re asking creators to write an open letter to a political figure or world leader about the environment—ask them to take a stand for the planet, share the steps you think we should all be taking to be more eco-friendly, or even write to a leader you admire telling them something you feel that they’re doing right for the climate.
Enter the Speak Up Challenge for a chance to win prizes of $500, $1,000, or $2,500. Plus, we’ll match all three prize amounts and donate to each winner's choice of 350.org, NRDC, or Environmental Defense Fund.
How to enter
For your story to be eligible, it must be between 600 and 5,000 words, and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until March 12, 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration.
To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or third place prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing in a country where Stripe is available at time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these 35 countries will not be eligible to win.
You can find the Official Rules for this Challenge here.
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Challenge resources
Out of Season Challenge Winners
We’re trying something new with our challenge awards structure. Starting with Out of Season , each challenge will recognize one grand prize , four winners , and ten honorable mentions . That’s 15 stories to celebrate, with a little extra love for the top pick. For this challenge, the strongest stories made the timing matter. Something showing up early or returning when it shouldn’t changed what people did, what they assumed, or how they saw each other. There was humor in trying to carry on as usual, and sadness in realizing why the usual schedule no longer worked. Sometimes the wrong time of year turned out to be just when someone needed it.
By Vocal Curation Team5 days ago in Resources
Already Here Challenge Winners
Useful tools can change your life before you think to question them. That’s really what made these Already Here entries interesting. Writers looked past the initial “how is this possible?” and paid attention to how quickly something remarkable becomes part of the routine. The strongest pieces didn’t ask us to choose between being impressed and being uneasy. They understood why people welcome these changes, then noticed what else shifts once we get used to them.
By Vocal Curation Team19 days ago in Resources
Last Call Challenge Winners
There were plenty of ringing phones and closing bars in Last Call , but the prompt took us to some unexpected places too. A fading birdsong, a goodbye that doesn't quite get finished, and people who don't suddenly become better versions of themselves just because time is running out. Some held on, some let go, and some missed their chance entirely. That's what made these stories stick.
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