Artist sends Trump a strong message by drawing colorful selfies of marginalized people
In a time of heightened fear for at-risk communities, Chicago-based illustrator Tyler Feder is using her art to help others celebrate their identities.
Feder started a hashtag campaign on Instagram called #DrawMeTyler, through which marginalized people can request simple, free renderings of their selfies in praise of who they are.
She launched the project after the election of President-elect Donald Trump, who built much of his campaign on harmful rhetoric targeting marginalized communities. For Feder -- who describes herself as a "ball of anxiety with bangs" -- feelings of fear and uncertainty were at an all-time high last week as the results of the election rolled in.
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After Trump won the election, Feder told the Huffington Post she felt defeated. But she decided to channel that distress and sadness into her artwork, reaching out to those who were feeling the same way.
"I'm scared and sad, but this is one thing I can do," her call-out said.
What started as a one-day project has turned into a full-blown campaign of self-celebration with no foreseeable end. The hashtag #DrawMeTyler currently has more than 850 requests on Instagram alone -- a number that continues to grow.
The illustrator plans to fulfill all the requests in her spare time, for as long as it fits into her freelance schedule. She's been selecting photos at random to draw, uploading the portraits once they're finished to her Instagram and Tumblr. So far, she's completed 55 individual illustrations.
“Keeping busy is my go-to way of dealing with bad feelings, and I wanted to do something to help other people feel better as well,” Feder tells Mashable via email.
Reminding at-risk communities of their worth and power, especially during this contentious time, is undoubtedly vital. With several hate crimes reported in the aftermath of the election, marginalized communities have been vocalizing their fears of safety and well-being in Trump's America.
"When I woke up on Wednesday [after the election], I knew I needed an outlet for all the heartbreak I was feeling," Feder told BoingBoing. "As an illustrator, drawing portraits of marginalized people felt like the best way to extend kindness to those feeling the same heartbreak. I want everyone I'm drawing to know that they are valuable and seen."
To push against a changing social and political climate, illustrators like Feder have mobilized to channel their artistic work for good. But unlike similar post-election hashtag campaigns like #DrawDrive -- a mass effort from illustrators to exchange portrait illustrations for donations to nonprofits -- Feder is using her art simply to uplift and empower.
“Several of the people I've drawn have told me that their portrait was a bright spot in their day,” she tells Mashable. “I’m so happy to be able to give people a little bit of positivity in all of this.”
Due to the format of her campaign, Feder is arguably reaching those most at-risk with more success. While the donations driven by #DrawDrive support vital activist work, many of those impacted by harmful rhetoric -- like people of color, LGBTQ individuals, women and people with disabilities -- are all less likely to have extra income to contribute to causes supporting their own communities. This means individuals with economic -- and overall -- privilege are more likely to be able to afford a "donated" illustration.
Feder's model, however, is focused on art as a means of self-empowerment, giving back to communities directly by rendering them visible.
Once she’s completed a lot of portraits, Feder says she'd like to compile them into larger formats to sell and raise money for charities helping marginalized communities, like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU.
For now, she plans to keep drawing those who ask, hoping to send a simple message: “No matter what kind of terrifying political climate we're in, you are valuable."
[H/T Huffington Post]
Topics Instagram LGBTQ Social Good
Katie Dupere was a Social Good reporter at Mashable from May 2015 to July 2017, covering activism, identities and social impact. Prior to her work with Mashable, Katie penned pieces about queerness, body positivity, sex and relationships for Gurl. She also previously contributed LGBTQ news coverage to PinkNews.
