Blog Post 8

Since I have been researching the immigration rights movement the whole semester, I think I am best suited to situate myself within that movement for the final project. Also, I have been finding more and more rhetorical artifacts within this movement that, in essence, have accomplished their goals, because I have felt like mobilizing for this cause.

I will attempt to alter self-perceptions of protestors specifically the self-identity and social status. What I have been seeing in my research is that many of the young immigrants who are fighting for legal status here feel that they must leave behind their culture and tradition in order to be respected and taken seriously in the American citizenship process. I seek to show that protesting immigrants should not deny their original identity to reach their goals in society. This is important because the basis of the social movement is the culture itself. Part of the reason why Americans are not quick to vote in favor of the comprehensive immigration reform is because they see that immigrants are different, they come from different backgrounds. I feel the need to show protesting immigrants that they should not deny their cultural identity in order to achieve their goals, but instead they should embrace their identities and be intent on being accepted for who they are as people and as a culture.

I will use symbolism to show certain parts of culture that immigrants are familiar with, in order to portray a relatable message. Since I am painting something, I will not be able to use language, but I will certainly be able to form an identity in my painting to which protesting immigrants can relate. The Mexican and Central American holiday "Dia de Los Muertos" takes place in November and is a day where people celebrate the lives of their deceased family members and friends. A symbol of this day is the traditional "calaveras" or "skulls", which are painted with bright colors to represent the deceased loved ones. The main focus of my painting will be a calavera skeleton that will be mainly a representation of the tradition inside all the Hispanic immigrants in the US.