Annual Essay Contest

Safed House Launches New York City Essay Contest

Safed House Announces Prompts for Arizona and New York City Contests

Safed House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to elevating the unheard voices of refugees and recent immigrants to the United States. We provide a secure, compassionate platform where individuals can safely share their human‑interest narratives with an empathetic audience. Through our Youth Essay Contest, we help young people find a sense of belonging, strengthen their confidence, and pursue their educational goals.

For nine years, we have conducted this contest with refugees and immigrants in Arizona. In 2026, we will launch our first New York City contest, creating a space where refugee youth can share their diaspora stories, build resilience, and be truly seen by Americans who may not yet understand the lived realities of displacement.

Eligibility:
The contest is open to students who were born outside the United States and migrated here within the past ten years or have been displaced from their homelands. While we especially encourage Palestinian students to apply, reflecting our organization’s commitment to uplifting voices from Palestine, we welcome all refugee and recently arrived immigrant youth who meet the eligibility criteria.

Contest is aimed at sophomore and juniors.  This will allow for us to work with the contestants and the essay could be used as a basis for a college essay.

The first NYC essay writing contest and the Arizona contest will open October 1, 2026.  

Rules:

• 500 words in length

Write an essay using one of these prompt choices: 

1. 1. 1. If you were to take a friend to your homeland for a day, what would you show them? Choose the present past or future.

Or

1. 1. 2. Share a memory when you overcame a challenging situation in your homeland or here.

The deadline for submission is December 15, 2026. Submissions should be emailed to safedhouse@gmail.com.

Please put in the subject line: 

If you are submitting from NYC area, Safed House Essay Submission NYC 2026.
If you are submitting from the Arizona area, Safed House Essay Submission Arizona 2026

Include a title for the essay

Additional submission information requirements are:
List on top left of submission:

• • Name
  • Birthplace
  • Country of origin – Note: If a refugee or immigrant from another country than birthplace, please list that also
  • How long has the essayist been living in the US?
  • Current High School Grade
  • Include Contact Information: Telephone and Email

First prize is a $500 award. Winner is requested to be interviewed for a testimonial of their story on website.  This interview will be conducted by Safed House in early 2027.

Second Prize is a $250 award. Winner is requested to be interviewed for a testimonial of their story on website.  This interview will be conducted by Safed House in early 2027.

Safety Consideration: Candidates who prefer not to use their full legal name may publish under a pen name if selected. Additionally, if they participate in a video interview, we can record the conversation and blur their face to protect their identity.  We also can offer an animation option so the identity of the candidates is protected.

For more information, see our website: https://www.safedhouse.com or email safedhouse@gmail.com.