I love poster art. I love great campaign posters and I hope that when I get to do them, the ones I make are considered great. (I am proud of the posters I've made for Randy Bryce for Wisconsin State Assembly and Arthur Kohl-Riggs are two I'm super proud of.)
What's even better is when I get paid for doing them. (Seriously, I'm for hire.)
This one is a pleasure to make for my friend Juan Anderson-Burgos. If everyone on every city council could be like Juan, the would would be a much better place.
I don't live in Holyoke, I live the next town over. Holyoke is finally emerging out of its depression. (Sadly with some gentrification. However, it does seem there is a lot of local people making this revival happen, too.) It was once a city of industry but now it's becoming a new hip place for the arts. The once abandoned factories are becoming creative work space for creative individuals.
The beauty is that it's by the people of Holyoke.
15 years ago I avoided Holyoke like the plague. It was a rundown shell of a city suffering like so many places that has been hollowed out and ignored. Yet the people stayed. The people of Holyoke are fiercely loyal to their city. They also give where they can.
Juan came out of this community and has built a family, a home, and a life for himself. He also, like many in Holyoke, gives where he can. Someone who is as plugged into the community as he is, and cares like he does, should be on the city council. Even if I didn't know his politics, I would support him just because the kind of neighbor he is.
I wish we could see more people like him running for office.
If you like this, support it.