Creativity on Display: Spotlight on the Finalists of USA Fencing’s DEIB Poster Contest

In a celebration of fencing, Fencing for All depicts a fencer handing their weapon to an unknown person's hand. The American flag can be seen in real life international tournaments from people that represent the United States team. The giving of a weapon from a skilled fencer to the unknown viewer shows a passing of power and invites them to fence. Fencing does not discriminate, and thus anyone and everyone can take up the blade to learn.

This poster depicts a USA Fencing medal with straps that represent the LGBTQIA+ community and illustrates that anyone from any community or of any identity can excel at fencing regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity! The medal itself is the Earth, which helps to promote the idea that all fencers from all backgrounds or from any walk of life can try fencing and are always welcome in our USA Fencing community. On the left side of the medal, there is a para fencer since we have such amazing para fencers and because fencing is a sport that accommodates all of its members and allows everyone to thrive. Fencing is a fantastic sport for diversity and inclusion because everyone can and is encouraged to fence! The text at the bottom of the poster alludes to the theme of the poster, which is the importance of inclusivity across the globe. "All fencers are stars" seeks to encourage anyone of any age who wants to join USA Fencing to do so because they will be welcomed and supported. Everyone can and should fence!

My art piece promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion with the variety of figures represented, background color, and supported by the text. This piece doesn't just end at the figures being portrayed; it extends well past that. To start, the colors in the background represent the idea of a variety of different people all blending together and bonding as one community, in this case "Fencing". Secondly, the top eight medalists at the top of the piece are all unique in their own way, whether it's their skin color, hair color, size, height, or something that might not be as visible to the eyes as the list stated earlier. For example, being Trans, Queer, or a mental disability like ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia etc. On the topic of disabilities, I've represented more physical ones with the wheelchair epee fencer in the middle left. Trying to portray as many individuals as possible, I also put a regular foil fencer in the right hand corner. Lastly, as a call to remind any person no matter their background you can see the text throughout the piece "whatever the history we welcome you", not only does it stand as a reminder to current fencers who may be struggling because of their past or differences. It also stands as a welcome call to anyone who may be interested in the sport but too scared that they might be judged for who they are and a promise of kindness, warmth, and support as they embark on their fencing journey. As a person who had done many sports, before I found fencing a little late in my life, I can confidently say Fencing is the most welcoming and nontoxic community I have been a part of. As a Queer Trans kid who struggles with anxiety from past experiences and the toxicity from other sports, I was afraid of being not welcomed and I'm glad that I can confidently say that that fear has never came to fruition. However, joining fencing later in my life and knowing I'm not the only person to do so, seeing something like this would have definitely helped me feel more welcomed and less afraid to be who I am.

Fencing is a diverse and exciting sport, and the social and mental aspect is a large part of the games we are playing, drawing on our skills, experiences and expertise as we apply ourselves on the strip. Sometimes fencing feels like a dance, other times you're flying, and you're definitely fighting. I wanted the art to reflect the feelings and vast worlds you don't see on the surface level but you know are there. It's an adventure where all can join.

Enjoying the capacity of ai generated work, applying fencing to extreme sport situations seemed the right way to go, and makes for an exciting poster to reflect the greater complexity behind every action and choice in fencing.