DeKALB | Sentiments of struggling with diversity resonated throughout an essay contest Wednesday.

The Unity in Diversity Essay Awards Ceremony was held to honor first-year composition students recognizing freedom of expression through writing.

The ceremony was hosted in the Adams Hall Chandelier Room and opened with a performance by about 15 members of the NIU Black Choir.

The winners were Brianna Dark, for her essay “Trading Tricks,” focusing on racial tension between black and white teenagers, and Ashleigh Muhammad , for her essay “Fatiha (Opening Prayer),” delving into Muhammad’s personal struggle and embracing her religion.

Both winners were ecstatic over their accomplishment. Dark said she had not anticipated her essay would receive first place.

“I thought I was going to get honorable mention at least,” Dark said.

Muhammad was enthusiastic when she found she won first place.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited,” Muhammad said. “I jumped up and down.”

The ceremony was sponsored by the Department of English and the Diversity and Equity department.

The Unity in Diversity program is focused on “confronting challenges to diversity and equality on our campuses across the land,” said Michael Day, director of First Year Composition.

Both first-place essays focused on issues of diversity in the writers’ personal lives.

Dark’s writing dealt with the struggles between white and black teenagers and the realization that “Caucasians are afraid of blacks,” Dark said. For Dark, the essay did not begin as a personal feat.

“Honestly, I was just writing it for a grade,” Dark said. “I started to get attached to the essay because I had to keep revising it.”

Muhammad, on the other hand, began her essay with a personal mission in mind. Muhammad has struggled with her Muslim religion since she was a little girl.

“The reason I wrote the paper was because it has been sort of a battle for me to understand my religion,” Muhammad said. “I thought this was the perfect opportunity to get it all out.”