In response to growing discrimination and backlash against immigrants, Floating Lab Collective and Provisions Library propose “RedBird”, a public art campaign to widely disseminate a graphic symbol designed to represent in a positive way the historic and future aspirations of immigrants in the United States.

Red birds were chosen because they evoke migration, freedom and aspiration, as well as symbolize both individual and group identity. The image can also be translated virally into many graphic settings and adopted by individuals as well as groups. The campaign will use bus shelter-sized historic photographs of immigrant laborers collaged with flocks of red birds. These images will link contemporary immigration to the social fabric and economic history of the United States. Flocks of red bird sculptures will be placed around the poster, appearing to have come out from the historical image and into the present landscape. Sculptures will be sleek and minimal, but portray various types and forms of birds. The Sculptures will be commissioned, and created using wood, fiberglass rod, Plexi-glas and Tyvek, both light weight weather proof materials. Public safety will be assured through the participation of engineers when planning materials and attachment of the birds to the host sites. These sculptures will migrate to different sites around Washington D.C. Their presence at certain locationswill denote an “action”- a project, or performance on the subject of immigration on that particular day. Actions will explore the estrangement of the immigrant in our collective conscience - the social construction of the “other”, as well as economic, racial and legislative facets of the issue. The posters will be left at each site to spark continuous interest in the project, featuring information and a link to the webpage. FLC has partnered with the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement for consultation and to aid in engaging with other local immigrant rights organizations in developing the campaign. The goal is to create an elegant image that raises public awareness of and shows support for positive developments in immigrants’ rights, functioning in a manner similar to the AIDS r ibbon. A website will promote the project and host information on locations and programing as well as feature activities for all ages (such as printable red bird patterns for paper birds).

The focus of this project is the ongoing debate around immigration and the subsequent legal, racial and human rights issues. Evidence of this need is seen in the news and in new legislature such as Arizona’s sb1070, and the controversy around such tactics. Similar bills are being proposed in other states across the nation. This debate is effecting American health care, human rights, legislature and education, as a new bill is being proposed in Arizona that would require doctors to check if the patient is a legal citizen (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/49546.html). More than ever there is a need to address the concept of “the other” and the thought patterns that surround this issue and influence the current debate. The issue over illegal immigration has sparked hate crimes and violence, as seen in the case of a deadly home evasion that killed Raul Flores, 29 and his 9 year old daughter (http://peoplesworld.org/anti-immigrant-vigilante-found-guilty-in-deadly-home-invasion/). Thus a sympathetic image of the immigrant is needed, to promote tolerance and understanding instead of extremism and alienation. a representation of the immigrant that references the migration process within the American context. This image of the immigrant promotes tolerance and understanding while resisting extremism and alienation.

The program approach was developed by defining what our goals were and how to implement them.

Goals:
1. Address the “other” and the “alien” in a project that will promote tolerance and understanding
2. Address issues surrounding around the “other”, such as the legal, racial, economical and humanistic facets.
3. Partner will other local grassroots organizations to strengthen the reach and effectiveness of the project.
4. Create a viral image that can be used to show support of the immigrant, based on such campaigns as the AIDS and Breast Cancer ribbons. The D.C. run of the “redbird” image will be a test run for a larger effort to spread the redbird symbol and spark dialogue.
5. Reach a wide audience, in several different areas and communities within D.C.
6. Draw upon the countries rich immigration history.


Implementation:
1. Utilize local organization for display space and to house programming.
2. Create and distribute the redbird image, that will compel people to ask questions about the public spectacle taking place.
3. Provide a website for the project, and place website information on REDBIRD posters.


This project has many community supporters. The FLC is currently waiting to hear back from pending grant requests to make this project a reality. If you would like to be involved in the future of this project, please email Lindsay at linzhawks@gmail.com or the FLCCoordinator at coordinatorflc@gmail.com.