Back in 2015, a toddler washed up on a Turkish beach alone and was reported dead shortly after being found. The boy, who was only three years old, was from Syria and had been trying to escape with his family, including his older brother, mother, and father. While this is one horrific depiction of what some refugees experience, tons of others are still trying to escape their once called homes for a safer place to live.
I chose to manipulate the picture of Aylan Kurdi, the toddler in the photo, in order to depict the way President Trump has been handling the immigration crisis today. From his initial plan to build a wall on the border of Mexico to his increasing implementation of immigration plans that will separate families, Trump has made it increasingly difficult for refugees to make it possible to find a home in the United States. I chose to depict Trump facing away from the toddler in order to represent how it seems like Trump focuses more on other issues over those regarding immigrants, as well as his image in the public eye, hence the waving to the camera.
Through this manipulation of the image, I wanted to emphasize the self-involvement that Trump portrays in his time as president, both in relation to his political movements and his daily life. Trump is always shown overly analyzing his online presence, as seen in his tweets, and focusing more on his image in the news rather than on issues that are prevalent in today’s society. By portraying Trump next to the heart-wrenching image of the child, I wanted to get across the message of his immigration stance with an even more impactful message.
Taylor Talk 