Immigration Reform Now! / We Are Human

Immigration Reform Now! / We Are Human (2009) is a political poster created by Shepard Fairey and Ernesto Yerena during a period of debate over immigration reform in the United States. At the time, immigrant rights organizations were calling for changes to immigration laws, including a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants and improvements to family reunification policies. Although President Barack Obama had expressed support for immigration reform, Congress had not passed comprehensive legislation. Inspired by the historic immigrant rights marches of 2006, the designers created the poster to raise awareness and support demonstrations in 2009.

The poster uses a photographic portrait, bold typography, and contrasting colors to communicate its message. By focusing on a human face rather than statistics, the design emphasizes the people affected by immigration policies. Its strong visual composition makes the message recognizable in public spaces, while its reproduction as a poster allows it to circulate during demonstrations.

The poster also shows how Latino designers can use public communication to represent cultural identity and community experiences. Ernesto Yerena, a Chicano artist, brings the experiences of immigrant communities into a national conversation through graphic design. His collaboration with Shepard Fairey combines a Latino cultural perspective with a visual language familiar to American audiences. Through this work, graphic design becomes a way to participate in political and social discussions about immigration, cultural identity, and belonging in American society. It also demonstrates how the public sphere provides opportunities for communities to increase their visibility and take part in conversations that affect their lives.