(I) Support the Dream Act

By: Raymundo M. Hernandez-Lopez

2008, Digital

In 2008, while undocumented immigrant students throughout the state of California organized to lobby in support of federal dream act, I decided to create my first visual statement to help spread awareness of the movement. I support the dream act/Support the dream act is an image I created, which is read in two forms; as a personal statement and as a statement towards the viewer. The cap and gown represent the letter “I” as a personal statement, and also a representation of an undocumented immigrant student wearing the cap and gown without having an identity. This logo has been produced in t-shirts, flyers, banners, mouse paths, and clear window decal in order to reach a broader audience. The motive for the t-shirt concept was for people to wear the design as a form of endorsement, support, encouragement and personal ad. It also gave the opportunity to educate others about the dream act, and the issues of undocumented students. In addition, the design on the t-shirts was used to fund raise for a scholarship that would benefit dreamers in higher education.

In June 23, 2009, the logo made a huge impact at the Los Angeles city hall during a dream act mock graduation, organized by Dream Team Los Angeles (DTLA), an undocumented immigrant student group made up of undocumented immigrant students and alumnus from local universities around Los Angeles. High school and college graduated students participated in the event to speak about their stories, the dream act, and struggles to media networks and city politicians. The mock graduation event also took place in Washington D.C. and other states in solidarity with dreamers around the nation, and to have a bigger impact. The banner was printed on a ten-foot wide by five-foot high vinyl banner, to create a bold statement to city, state and federal politicians.

The visual logo has become a method to communicate the main bold message to businesses, state and federal legislators, and the Obama administration. In 2009, an undocumented immigrant student, who had the opportunity to have dinner with a cabinet member of the Obama administrator, gave a t-shirt to the cabinet member to be delivered to President Obama as a message. As the designer of the logo, I can only hope the shirt was successfully delivered to president Obama, as a significant and loud message from undocumented immigrant students throughout the nation who fight on a daily basis for the passage of the Dream Act. Although I will never know if the shirt made it to the President, the logo has played an important role in the movement as a visual method of support, encouragement, and creating awareness about the Dream Act.

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