Creative Works Contest
The previous year's submissions for the "All Boys Aren't Blue" Creative Works Contest is closed.
From a childhood survivor of the Cambodian genocide under the regime of Pol Pot, this is a riveting narrative of war crimes and desperate actions, the unnerving strength of a small girl and her family, and their triumph of spirit.
One of seven children of a high-ranking government official, Loung Ung lived a privileged life in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh until the age of five. Then, in April 1975, Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge army stormed into the city, forcing Ung’s family to flee and, eventually, to disperse. Loung was trained as a child soldier in a work camp for orphans, her siblings were sent to labor camps, and those who survived the horrors would not be reunited until the Khmer Rouge was destroyed.
Harrowing yet hopeful, Loung’s powerful story is an unforgettable account of a family shaken and shattered, yet miraculously sustained by courage and love in the face of unspeakable brutality.
LOUNG UNG is a bestselling author, activist, and co-screenwriter. Loung began her activism work in 1993 as a Community Educator for a domestic shelter in Maine, and has since been involved in various campaigns, including those against violence towards women, the use of child soldiers, and landmine eradication worldwide. She has made over 40 trips back to Cambodia, dedicating herself to helping her native land recover from the traumas of war. Loung has given keynote addresses at numerous forums in the US and internationally, including at Stanford University, Dartmouth College, Philips Academy, and Women in the World Summit, among others. In 2013, she expanded her activism reach to include screenplay writing and contributed to Girl Rising, a groundbreaking film directed by Academy Award nominee Richard Robbins. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets and documentaries, including The New York Times, CNN, and Fresh Air with Terry Gross.
“For me, writing is an internal journey where you go in deep, you
reflect, you try to heal your inner child and pains. As an activist, it’s
an outward, going wide journey, where you realize that you are
connected to a much larger world. And that the story you tell isn’t
about you. It’s about a culture, a people, a nation, a family.” ~
Loung Ung
Administration Co-Chair
Shayla is the Assistant to the Assistant Vice President of Undergraduate Studies.
Faculty Co-Chair
Judy is a Senior Lecturer of Gender Institute of Teaching and Advocacy (GITA)
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Cheyenne is the Undergraduate Studies Graduate Assistant
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Salah is a Collection Development Librarian for the Auraria Library
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Laura is the Content Manager/Managing Editor for Communications
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Bridget is the Associate Director of Teaching & Learning
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Gabriel is the Assistant Director for Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry (D-PHI)
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Mia is an Outreach and Sustainability Specialist in the One World One Water Center
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Nhi is the CMEI Associate Director, Equity and Racial Justice Programs
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Jennifer is an Honors Program Coordinator
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Meredith is an Honors Program Specialist
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