Health Messaging Grounded in Lived Experience
The Songbird Study aims to develop peer health messaging that promotes prevention and care resources for people with lived experience of sex trafficking or coerced sex work.
The study is led by a research team at Columbia University School of Social Work, including researchers with a range of lived experience in the sex trades.
Open Call for Submissions!
Submissions are now open through August 31, 2026!
The Songbird Study is hosting a contest inviting people with lived experience of sex trafficking or coerced sex work to create health messaging that feels relevant, meaningful, and useful to their community!
How do we define sex trafficking?
For research and funding purposes, this study uses the operational, federal definition of sex trafficking found in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA):
A person who is exploited through force, fraud or coercion to exchange sex for money or other items of value or someone who was in the sex trades before the age of 18.
Multiple experiences fall under the federal definition of sex trafficking, and some people may prefer to use these different ways to describe their experiences.
We use the term “lived experience” to reflect the many ways people understand and relate to their experiences without relying on labels like “victim” or “survivor.” When we refer to “people with lived experience,” we mean anyone who has experienced or is currently experiencing sex trafficking or other forms of coerced sex work, regardless of how they identify those experiences.
What do we mean by “lived experience”?
Who Can Participate?
Contestants must meet the following criteria:
Be 18 or older
Live in the United States
Have lived experience with any of the following:
coerced sex work
sex trafficking
engaged in the sex trades before the age of 18 (includes survival sex).
have been forced or coerced by another person to exchange sex for money or other items of value.
If any of these experiences resonate with you, we encourage you to submit
Contest Information
Contest Closes: Aug 31, 2026
We are seeking health messaging created by people with lived experience of sex trafficking or coerced sex work that encourages sexual health testing or the use of overdose prevention tools among their community.
Entries may be submitted in one of two categories:
Sexual Health Testing
Overdose Prevention
Contestants may upload up to 2 entries total, one entry per category.
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Sexual health testing covers a wide range of topics. Your message can promote sexual health testing in general or focus on a smaller area, like a specific STI or testing method, or a situation that shows why sexual health testing is important.
When creating your message, think about the kind of messaging that would capture your attention and make you feel understood. What kind of message would move you from simply knowing about a resource to actually using it?
Check out our Sexual Health page for more info!
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Overdose prevention covers a wide range of topics. Your message can promote general overdose prevention methods like naloxone or focus on a more specific topic within overdose prevention like drug mixing or overamping
When creating your message, think about the kind of messaging that would capture your attention and make you feel understood. What kind of message would move you from simply knowing about a resource to actually using it?
Check out our Overdose Prevention page for more information!
Click on each category for more info !
Grand Prizes
All contestants will receive a $15 virtual gift card for each eligible entry (max of 2).
Sexual Health Testing
$350 – First Place
$250 - Second Place
$150 - Third Place
$50 - Honorable Mentions (10 entries)
Overdose Prevention
$350 – First Place
$250 - Second Place
$150 - Third Place
$50 - Honorable Mentions (10 entries)
Disclaimer:
Contestants may win only one Grand Prize total. However, contestants can also receive a Honorable Mention award ($50) in another category, or Honorable Mention awards in both categories.
Submission Information
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Each contest entry must meet the following criteria to be considered eligible:
Content promotes sexual health testing or overdose prevention tools
Message is clear, understandable and appropriate for public sharing
Follows submission requirements
Entries can be in any language as long as an English translation is included with your submission.
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Text: Max 750 words
Video: Max 60 seconds
Audio: Max 60 seconds
File Size: Max 50 MB
Entries can be uploaded in the following formats:
PDF
Video (mp4, .mov)
Audio (.mp3, .m4a)
Image (.jpeg, .jpg, .png, .gif)
Text (.doc, docx)
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Content can take any art/media form as long as your entry can be submitted online as a digital file. Messaging ideas include:
Poetry
Collages
Flyers
Videos
Photos
Drawings
Animation
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Entries will be scored using the three categories below:
Relevance & Impact: How relevant and useful is this content for people who have experienced sex trafficking or coerced sex work?
Clarity & Communication: How clearly and effectively does the content communicate its message?
Creativity & Engagement: How creative, original and engaging is the approach used to convey the message?
How it Works
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(1) Create Your Message
Create health messaging focused on sexual health testing or overdose prevention using any art medium.
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(2) Submit Online
Upload your submission to our Submission Portal. Entries must be submitted by August 31, 2026.
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(3) Judging
A panel of judges, including people with lived experience, healthcare workers, service providers and advocates, will score submissions.
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(4) Winners Announced!
Winners will be announced over email in September. All prizes will be sent as a virtual gift card during this time.
Why Songbird?
Songbirds are known for their distinct songs, which can only be learned and understood by those who share the same lineage. These songs form a shared language among songbird families, signaling warnings for protection while also expressing joy and belonging.
In much the same way, peer health messaging relies on the shared language of lived experience—communication that feels familiar, trustworthy, and deeply understood by those who have lived it.
Any Questions?
Reach out to our Project Director by emailing mxb2103@columbia.edu or fill out the form!