Ami Moon

2026 Student Art Contest: Senior Division, Second Place

12th Grade – Kentridge High School, Kent, WA

The constitution and the rule of law were established on the basis of equality. The heart of this nation is built on the notion that everyone, regardless of their background, should be heard. However, our current administration has defiled the meaning of justice and left an unrecognizable and fleeting image of what our nation should be. When the rules of law are a suggestion and the Constitution a loose guidebook, it seems justified to break families apart and kidnap children from their schools because of the shade of their skin. Like the fading Lady Justice in my painting, hope seems tenuous in these unpredictable times. Yet, in the blues and blacks of the oil paints, vitality emerges from the lady’s chest. It’s legacies like Minoru Yasui's who evoke action in ordinary people and keep her alive.

Change relies on discomfort. My art displays the dismemberment of Lady Justice; her flesh is exposed, showing the consequences of ignoring the rules of law in an unfiltered form. Hope is not maintained through comfort but through action, fiery passions, and anger for change, like the vibrant oranges and reds that fill the lady’s bloodstream and keep her together. Minoru Yasui was just an ordinary man, yet when he stood in that courtroom, he became a lifeline for thousands of marginalized individuals. He wanted to share the message that anyone can act, so I chose a young Hispanic girl to represent the passion and power that drives change. The heart of justice doesn’t have to be wealthy, physically strong, or well-connected, it can be you.

The most dangerous action in times like these is inaction. Protests, boycotts, and noise are what keep equality alive. We should be loud, colorful, and wide-reaching- “we are here, and we will not give up”.