The Butterfly Effect
︎ BIG on Bloor Festival of Arts & Culture - Curated by Darren Leu
︎ Window Display, Exhibition
︎ Toronto, ON
︎ August 2020
Artist Statement
What does it all mean when so much change is happening at the same time? Since COVID-19 began, there has been a great disturbance within our communities and beyond. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests are transforming our conversations about racism and radical injustice with hopes to bring freedom and equality for Black and Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) communities everywhere. Many immigrants feel solidarity with the Black Lives Movement and want to participate in ongoing protests; however, some protesters are grappling with the choice of putting their legal status and, in some cases, their lives, at risk to join the cause.
In September 2017, The Trump administration announced an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program ordered by the Obama administration in 2012. Since the program started, nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children have been granted protection under DACA. This program allows them to live, study, and work in America. In response, protesters around America marched with monarch butterfly wings and signs to demonstrate in solidarity and unity, to protect undocumented immigrant children, also known as Dreamers. Inspired by protest signs from the fight to protect DACA recipients, The Butterfly Effect conveys a powerful message of strength and hope to all dreamers and believers. The fight is not over!
What does it all mean when so much change is happening at the same time? Since COVID-19 began, there has been a great disturbance within our communities and beyond. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests are transforming our conversations about racism and radical injustice with hopes to bring freedom and equality for Black and Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) communities everywhere. Many immigrants feel solidarity with the Black Lives Movement and want to participate in ongoing protests; however, some protesters are grappling with the choice of putting their legal status and, in some cases, their lives, at risk to join the cause.
In September 2017, The Trump administration announced an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program ordered by the Obama administration in 2012. Since the program started, nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children have been granted protection under DACA. This program allows them to live, study, and work in America. In response, protesters around America marched with monarch butterfly wings and signs to demonstrate in solidarity and unity, to protect undocumented immigrant children, also known as Dreamers. Inspired by protest signs from the fight to protect DACA recipients, The Butterfly Effect conveys a powerful message of strength and hope to all dreamers and believers. The fight is not over!
