Thank you for reaching out, and thank you for encouraging me to share this here. I’m much better with visuals than words, and usually prefer to let my work speak for itself. But you’re right, it is still so relevant, even if it’s from 2019.

I thought about what you said, and I went ahead and shared my caged ducklings photo and statement here too. Honestly, it hadn’t occurred to me to share it here as well.

but when it comes to what their real fate might be in this country as immigrants, it’s erased pretty quickly rather than opening up a conversation about that. And I think it speaks volumes about how quickly we can free someone who is caged when we think it’s important to do so.

I went by early Friday morning and saw that my installation had already been removed. And I think it’s interesting that the ducks can wear Easter bonnets, Red Sox hats, and Pat’s jerseys,

and with our taxpayer dollars at these so-called migrant detention centers. I prefer to call them concentration camps, because that’s what they are.

The ducklings seem small and delicate, but the cages were enormous. And holding those materials in my hands really made me think even more about the wrongness of what we’re allowing to happen in our name,

It almost feels that these specific materials are used on purpose, to provide warmth yet without comfort.

And they’re loud. The crinkling sound they make is almost deafening when you’re wrapped up in one. You can’t think over the sound of it. And when I thought of children, ripped away from their parents, and given only this, it’s a lot to take in.

Holding those mylar blankets was really what made it real for me. They may provide warmth, but they do so in the coldest way possible. The thing that’s comforting about being wrapped in a blanket is the weight of it, along with the warmth. And there is absolutely no weight to those things.

this would be their fate. And since the statue of them is absolutely so beloved, it’s a powerful metaphor about who we get upset about caging and who we don’t.

I realized I could be lending my voice to this conversation as well as my ability to create visuals.

The Mallards are an iconic immigrant family in Boston. In the book, they moved here for a better life, they were looking for a place to stay. And if that were to happen during this climate today,

My full statement from Aug 2019: “People have been asking if I have anything further to say about my Make Way for Ducklings adaptation. At first, my response was "No, I left my statement in the park on Friday." But as the story has gained more traction,

Oh wow, thank you for the kind words! I’m both glad it’s still making an impact and sorry it was needed in the first place (and still needed/relevant).

It’s part of a series, mine is one of 9 pieces along the wall. Lots of great artwork, and I’m proud to be included among them!

Thanks!