On the 4th of July, as we proclaimed our independence and the nation waved its flag in pride and patriotism, there are many that felt left out of the narrative, and for whom this is not a moment of celebration.  There are many who do not feel free in the home of the brave, a home that is theirs too. Inspired by new visions of “Old Glory” like Nacho Becera’s Serape Flag, Gregg Deal’s “Indigenous Flags,” and Nadeem Haidary’s information-driven flags, we launched an open call to redesign the stars and stripes. We asked artists how would they imagine the American flag in a way that’s inclusive of their community, represents their story, and their ideals. These flags could be just for their community, or one that truly encompasses us all.

From Victoria Garcia: Prior to colonization, what is now known as the U.S. was half forest. What remains of that today is only 10%. This piece is representative of the different ecosystems that exist across the nation, their trees, and calls people to identify more with the earth—instead of political symbols.