Harlem Rep. Espaillat Announces Winners Of the 2021 Congressional Art Competition

June 17, 2021

Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat announced the winner of the 2021 Art Competition for New York’s 13th congressional district. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts student, Mireille Vieux-Gresham, was selected from among a record number of 50 students by a distinguished panel of judges.

Recognized for her portrait of Presidential Inauguration poet Amanda Gorman, Vieux-Gresham’s art will hang in the United States Capitol for up to one year.

Mireille’s Piece

Emilia Pelegano-Titmuss, a student at the Bronx High School of Science, was selected for second place; Columbia Secondary School students Naomi De Lashmutt and Shadi Yadollahi Khales tied for third place recognitions.

Their art will be displayed in the Harlem and Washington Heights district offices.

Top 10 Winners, in order of rank and school:

1. Mireille Vieux-Gresham, LaGuardia High School of Music & Art & Performing Arts
2. Emilia Pelegano-Titmuss, Bronx High School of Science
3. (tied) Naomi De Lashmutt, Columbia Secondary School
3. (tied) Shadi Yadollahi Khales, Columbia Secondary School
5. Luz Veronica Ford, Harlem Children’s Zone, Promise Academy II
6. Wu Thisbe, Saint Ann’s School
7. Nayelly Ruiz, Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing and Visual Arts
8. Sophia Lupton, Columbia Secondary School
9. Veronika Lopatina, Columbia Secondary School
10. London Lalibela Bess, South Hampton High School


Click here to view the virtual presentation and online gallery showcasing all submissions from 2021 student participants from New York’s 13th congressional district.

“Congratulations to Mireille Vieux-Gresham, Emilia Pelegano-Titmuss, Naomi De Lashmutt and Shadi Yadollahi Khales on their first, second and tied third place recognitions. Their artistic talents and creativity not only reflect the beauty and diversity of New York’s 13th District, but of communities across our great nation. I am proud to highlight them, our top 10 winners, and each of the participants in this year’s Congressional Art Competition for their exceptional talents and ingenuity,” said Rep. Espaillat.

“I also want to recognize each of the distinguished community leaders who served as judges for this year’s competition for their dedication to our youth, and their appreciation of their talents,” Espaillat concluded.

The Congressional Art Competition is a national contest open to high school students from around the country for an opportunity to showcase their artistic talents with a chance to exhibit their winning art in the United States Capitol.

Rep. Espaillat served as a national co-host of the 2021 art competition, and this year marked a record number of student entries from New York’s 13th congressional district with a total of 50 participants, each of whom will receive certificates and an invitation to a reception later this fall.

Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx.

First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his third term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities.

He is also a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves as the Second Vice Chair and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, where he serves as Deputy Whip.

Representative Espaillat also currently serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

Photo credit: Mireille Vieux-Gresham piece.


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