Watercolor by Kara Horne.
A higher quality version of this artwork is available here.
Horne’s Note
As someone who typically works with ink and paper, I wanted to explore a new artistic medium through watercolor. During the process, I found myself inspired by the idea of expressing a collective voice—one that reflects my experiences as a person of color, a woman, and a neurodivergent individual. I wanted to capture how communities that have historically been marginalized can find strength and empowerment through unity.
As I created the piece, I also reflected on the lasting impact of community and the legacies we leave behind, even after death. What resonated with me most was portraying communities that have been silenced throughout history yet have reclaimed their voices through shared passion, compassion, resilience, and courage. This work became not only an exploration of a new medium but also a celebration of the enduring power of collective identity and hope.
Kara Horne
Kara Horne is a rising senior in high school training as a full-time pre-professional ballet dancer at San Francisco Ballet School. Alongside dance, Horne harbors passions for creative writing, visual art, and neuroscience. She has attended the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio, The School of The New York Times Summer Academy, and Great Books Summer Program.
Horne has been recognized as a YoungArts Creative Writing Winner and two-time Society of Young Inklings Finalist, and she has received the Superior Distinction Award from the National Council of Teachers of English, the Junior Anthropologist Award from the American Anthropology Association, and a scholarship from Immerse Education’s Essay Competition. She currently serves as Co-Executive Director of the Asian Youth Writing Alliance, Youth Advisory Board Chair for the Society of Young Inklings, and as an editor for the zine “In the Margins.” When she is not writing, Horne enjoys reading stories by her favorite authors (Kafka, Nabokov, and Jackson), listening to electric guitar solos, and playing Scrabble.