The Mickey Leland Legacy Contest

The Honorable Mickey Leland was a powerful advocate for public health, championing causes that addressed healthcare access, food security, and disease prevention for marginalized communities both at home and abroad. His tireless work was rooted in the belief that everyone deserves the right to health and dignity.

The Challenge: A Symposium on Health Equity

Submit a research poster, presentation slide deck, or creative advocacy piece that identifies a specific health disparity or public health issue affecting a vulnerable population. Design using Adobe Creative Campus tools. Propose a practical, innovative solution that aligns with the principles of pharmacy or health sciences.

Guiding Questions

• How does Leland’s work in public health inspire your career goals?
• What specific health disparity in your community can you address, and how?
• How does your solution build upon or expand Leland’s legacy in public health?
• How can technology and innovation improve outcomes in underserved populations?
• What is the responsibility of a healthcare professional to advocate for patients and communities?

Mickey Leland understood that art, words, and culture could spark movements and shift society’s values. This track invites students across the arts and humanities to channel their creativity into works that honor Leland’s legacy and serve as a modern call to action.

The Challenge: Creative Arts Showcase

Submit an original creative work—such as a video tribute, spoken‑word piece, song, poem, short story, or visual artwork—that connects Mickey Leland’s life and advocacy to a pressing issue today. All submissions must incorporate Adobe Creative Campus tools.

Guiding Questions

• Which part of Leland’s life or advocacy most inspires your creative voice?
• How can your chosen art form highlight a modern‑day issue Leland would have championed?
• What emotions or ideas from Leland’s story can you capture through your work?
• In what ways can art catalyze social change on campus and beyond?

Mickey Leland used law and policy as tools for justice. This track challenges students in law and public affairs to transform policy research into clear, compelling public campaigns.

The Challenge: Advocacy in Action

Submit a creative advocacy campaign addressing an issue such as healthcare access, hunger, voting rights, or human rights. Design with Adobe Creative Campus tools.

Acceptable Submission Formats

• Social Media Campaign · 3–5 posts
• Infographic explaining a key policy or justice issue
• Poster Series or Flyer raising awareness of a social problem

Guiding Questions

• How did Leland fuse advocacy and policy to drive change?
• What issue needs clearer public communication right now?
• How can you explain a complex issue so anyone can understand it?
• What call to action will move people from awareness to action?