The Fountain Essay Contest 2016: I Am an Immigrant

We all move. As Einstein said, “Nothing happens until something moves.” Movement is one of the essentials of the physical world.

This movement is a good thing, at least as far as our health is concerned. Moving exercises our muscles, strengthens our heart, and clears our head. Yet, movement is not just a physical activity. For some of us, moving signifies changing almost everything in our lives: changing neighborhoods or cities, enrolling in a college or finding a new job overseas.

For some, movement is an overwhelming ordeal. Not all of us choose to move. Some are forced from their homes against their will. There are more refugees now than at any point in human history. According to the United Nations refugee agency there are more than 65 million people who have had to leave their homes – either as refugees, asylum seekers, or to be displaced in their own countries.

Immigration, whether for a career change or to flee a conflict, is an enormous challenge for both the immigrant and the host country. Both are faced with questions of assimilation, integration, xenophobia, employment, security, education, etc. There are no simple answers to these questions, and both immigrant and host have legitimate concerns.

In the context of this current moment in history, The Fountain’s 2016 Essay Contest invites you to consider the issues facing today’s immigrants. Are you an immigrant, too? Were your parents or grandparents immigrants? Are we all immigrants in this world? How do immigrants contribute to your society? How do they cause problems in your society? How would you help immigrants thrive?

We’re excited to hear your answers to one of the most pressing problems facing our world.

• Deadline for submissions: December 31
• Contest open to all writers worldwide
• Essay word count must be between 1,500 and 2,500
• Essays must be submitted as Word document only through the essay contest page at www.fountainmagazine.com/essaycontest
• Cash prizes:
•                           1st Place – $1,000
•                           2nd Place – $500
•                           3rd Place – $300

Two Honorable Mentions – $150 each