Politics

Here Are Some Ingenious Ways US Immigrants Are Protesting Trump

"Let's do something that shows we're from somewhere else."

by Matilda Dixon-Smith  18 February 2017

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The reign of Donald Trump has been a dangerous time for many people, particularly for US immigrants, who have been routinely demeaned and threatened by Trump and his administration. From travel bans and wall building to Holocaust erasure, as well as the generally hostile attitude toward immigrants and their families, the States is not a safe place for many of those who have come from elsewhere to make America their home.

Thankfully, the theme of marginalisation and xenophobia that has characterised Trump’s thus far short presidency has been accompanied by a far more uplifting trend: agitation and protest. It seems like each day brings news of a brand-new call to arms . So, as the threats increase and the borders close, US immigrants and their allies are fighting back in increasingly significant and creative ways.

A Museum Without Art

In a radical move, the Davis Museum at Wellesley College, Massachusetts, has removed every single piece of art that was created or donated by immigrants. The museum’s “Art-Less” project, which was conceived to protest Trump’s Muslim travel ban, has prompted the removal of around 20 per cent of the museum’s collection from its walls.

The removal of works by immigrant artists (and those donated by immigrant benefactors) means the museum is eerily empty of many significant pieces, including a famous portrait of America’s first President, George Washington. The portrait, painted by Swedish-born artist Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller, was donated to the Davis Museum by an immigrant family.

Eighty per cent of the museum’s African collection, the bulk of which was donated by a Polish immigrant family, has also been obscured from view by black curtains hung around the artworks.

As Lisa Fischman, one of the Davis Museum’s directors, has explained: “Art-Less demonstrates in stark and indisputable terms the impact of immigration on our collections. We proudly take the opportunity to signal that impact.”

A Powerful Statement From The American Fashion Industry

The art world isn’t the only creative industry out to take action. Just yesterday W Magazine revealed a stirring video project in support of US immigrants. The video features fashion industry professionals, including photographers, models, designers and stylists, facing the camera and declaring “I am an immigrant”.

The project was filmed over one afternoon during New York Fashion Week. It is a proud declaration from one of America’s highest profile industries, and a statement that directly contradict’s the sentiment of Trump’s now embattled travel ban.

The video was coordinated by W‘s creative and fashion director, Edward Enninful, who was born in Ghana and raised in the UK before emigrating to America. Enninful explained that the project was designed as a way to “do something that shows we’re from somewhere else.” It features, among many others, model Adriana Lima, Vogue icon Grace Coddington, designer Diane Von Furstenberg, and fashion activist Bethann Hardison.

A Day Without Immigrants

This Thursday, 16 February, might have been a tough day for Americans looking to reap the benefits of their largely immigrant-populated consumer industries. A viral campaign to hit the States with a #daywithoutimmigrants was enacted to protest the Trump administration’s mistreatment of immigrants and undocumented residents who boost the US economy and service its citizens. The campaign called for a widespread strike, encouraging immigrants and undocumented individuals living and working in the US to stay home from work and refrain from shopping.

While many have reported the strike as a success, with hundreds of businesses across America closed in solidarity, unfortunately some who participated paid a price. News has since emerged of a swathe of workers losing their jobs as punishment for their participation in the protest. Still, the strike has certainly sent a message to many Americans about the value of migrant contributions to their everyday lives.