By Olivia Anderson | oanderson@alextimes.com

The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project announced the launch of the Equal Justice Initiative essay contest on Monday, to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

In partnership with Alexandria City Public Schools, the EJI contest asks students to “examine the history of a topic of racial injustice and discuss ways in which its legacy endures today in an 800-1,000 word essay,” according to a news release.

In the essay, students may use historical events to explore how injustice persists and how to potentially put an end to it in the future.

The contest will be open through March 17, at which point an EJI judge will review the entries and announce a winner. Prizes include at least $5,000 to the winning entries.

The contest is open to students in grades nine through 12. For more information, visit sites.google.com/eji.org/ draft-alexandria-ejiessay/ overview?pli=1.