OCA-NY is hosting its 6th Annual Hate Crimes Prevention Art Contest Opening Exhibit this Thursday, August 9, from 6:00PM-8:30PM at the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) at 215 Centre Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown. This year’s theme is UNMASKING HATE CRIMES: Hear the Cries, See the Solution, Speak through Art. The goal of the art contest is to empower New York City high school students to combat hate crimes through art activism. By encouraging self expression through art, youths will gain a better understanding of the importance of art as an advocacy tool. The art contest has been planned entirely by 12 NYC high school interns from Chinatown Youth Initiatives, Sadie Nash Leadership Project, New York State Youth Leadership Council, and Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES). The youths seek to take down hate crimes at their root through consolidation and mobilization. Through art, they hope to raise awareness of the cause, effect, and, prevention of hate crimes among inner-city youth and create avenues for positive, constructive social change.