Familias Separadas / Somos Seres Humanos (We Are Human Beings)

Michelle Angela Ortiz is continuing her commitment to addressing immigrant rights with Familias Separadas. She has created a series of stenciled portraits and phrases derived from interviews with immigrants living in Philadelphia that have been directly affected by deportations. The stencils are being made in collaboration with the JUNTOS youth group and placed in key locations throughout the city. The recorded oral histories are available online for the public to access.

Somos Seres Humanos is the fourth project site:

“WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS, RISKING OUR LIVES, FOR OUR FAMILIES & OUR FUTURE”

These words come from an undocumented immigrant mother, Ana, fighting with her daughter their deportation. After spending almost a year in Berks Detention Center, Ana and her daughter were deported back to their native country of Guatemala. A judge in Philadelphia recently declared her deportation unjust and ordered that they be brought back to the United States.

This project was part of Open Source, a citywide exhibition that brought 14 extraordinary artists from around the world to Philadelphia. They worked with Mural Arts Philadelphia and guest curator Pedro Alonzo to create a new series of public artworks that explore and illuminate Philadelphia’s diverse urban identity.

Location Note: Temporary project no longer on view at this location.