In 2019, Donald Trump and Steven Miller were trying to impose their own narrow definition of "American" by attacking immigrants, fighting DACA and championing white supremacy groups.
The American people deserved a statement and response that was bold and inclusive to remind us that America's strength is, and has always been, in its diversity.
As part of #myamericanflag, I designed flags for 16 noteworthy Americans. Each design combines the US flag with flags of their heritage as a reminder that most of us, at some point, came from somewhere else to be here. And no matter where we're from or how we got here, there's no "right" or "wrong" way to be an American; we all have a role to play in making the American dream a reality for everyone.
Participating artists including Stephanie Beatriz, Aloe Blacc, Roxane Gay, Billy Porter, and Alfre Woodard.
We also created 16 5'x3' fabric flags to fly in front of the Capitol in DC.
"A truly great America acknowledges the wrongs of our collective past, in particular the treatment of our Indigenous Peoples and the enslavement of Black people, and continues to build toward a future that values freedom and equality for every person on American soil, and in turn, the world." — Stephanie Beatriz
“In an ideal America being American means: From many, one. People are celebrated for their differences without prejudice nor bigotry and are free to live to be their authentic selves with a shared ideology of freedom, love and patriotism.” — Roxane Gay
“It’s zero hour for the USA. It’s time to restart the program. America is a set of ideas, some of which need to be abandoned (the racist, colonial ones for example.) The good American ideas don’t exist yet for too many people I want the Dream for everyone.” — Ashley Judd
"Our country is a work-in-progress—a story, a poem—still being written. It’s our privilege and duty to be active citizens, to figuratively write (and re-write) the narrative of who we are, so that we are all represented and celebrated in our history, in our present moment, and in the future we envision together." — Richard Blanco
"I am the person that I am today because of my Indian-American identity, because my parents were able to build a life for themselves after coming here as refugees. In Hinduism we say ‘what is your dharma? What are you put on this earth to do?.’ My dharma is to create opportunities for women and girls, to celebrate diversity, to speak truth to power. My dharma is to make sure all people have access to the opportunities regardless of who they are, where they are from, or how they identify." — Reshma Saujani
"American democracy is an experiment. Sometimes there’s forward motion. Sometimes there’s stagnation. However, wherever we are and whatever we may be in this moment, there’s always room to grow through the simple act of love. I look forward to the day when love wins once and for all." — Billy Porter
"Being American is like being a small piece of a very complex puzzle. You know you fit in but sometimes it's hard to tell exactly where. It's messy and disorganized until most of the pieces are in place. And you keep faith that when it is complete it will show a beautifully unified picture." — Aloe Blacc
"I am an AFRICAN American. This land is irrigated by deltas of sweat and rivers of the blood of my people, the stolen people who were brought by force to transform the stolen land. And transform it we have. Our presence in this land has given America the ingenuity, the texture and the esthetic that the world identifies as authentically American. Although it seems that My people have been constrained to the edges of power and prosperity from the very first arrival up until today. I know this country belongs to me and I to it. I am Her steward, a guardian of the promise and the possibility of America. The investment runs deep across the centuries. I will not let this experiment fail.” — Alfre Woodard
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