Who am I?
Hello! I’m Chloe, an 11th grader from Claremont, CA.
I’ve been interested in flags since middle school. I did not understand why I liked flags or history. I just thought it was cool, and that was it. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered the real reason why I like flags and history.
National flags are used to describe a country; it’s the symbol the country goes by. Sometimes, flags fail to represent everyone, or are created without the interests of the people or the country’s history. Yet, they still help unify a community. Something about that is so beautiful to me. Flags are so complicated in their symbolism and appropriation, and how their meanings differ based on where in the world you are. In that complexity, a unifying power arises. We recognize flags like we have an intimate connection to them. Flags are a universal language. My passion for flags branched out to heraldry, coats of arms, and seals, because in my eyes all of these subjects achieve the same goal of unifying.
Through unification, we create a more empathetic environment that helps us understand each other more. We start to learn the unheard stories of cultures, of communities, and start to see ourselves in them.
But, why do I care so much about unity and empathy?
Empathy has been a core value which I live by. All my life I’ve been surrounded by empathy, by people who understand me and recognize what I’m going through. However, when I was younger, I was in an environment that lacked empathy. Although I was in preschool, I still remember my classmate bullying me.
For some reason, I have a vivid memory of her pointing to someone’s messy drawing and saying I drew it as an insult. Since I am so passionate about art, I felt invalidated and broke down in tears. She would blame me for things I didn’t even do, and when fighting her accusations did not work, I started to apologize.
All the other details are foggy, but I think being in an environment where I was constantly forced to subordinate and apologize for “wrongdoings” changed the trajectory of my life. I understand what it means to be in an apathetic environment. I feel the damage one goes through when one is separated from the rest because they aren’t understood. I want to prevent people from feeling what I felt. I want people to feel welcomed by being constantly surrounded by empathy, or else we will become an individualistic, selfish society.
Although I’m certain my classmate grew to be a better person, she sets an example of how younger kids sometimes lack empathy, especially in classrooms.
Lack of Empathy Today
I believe deep down humanity is empathetic. But I also believe sometimes we are raised in a way where we almost lose this skill. For instance, everyday we are exposed to the internet and social media. On these platforms influencers push out urgent news about injustice, greed, selfishness, to teenagers. Teenagers then become desensitized, apathetic, numb.
I hope, with my project, to let the younger generation remember the past through recognizable symbols. We can create an empathetic community through learning about our own unique stories. I mean, what better way to teach culture than through the intricacies of flag design?
Contact me
Have any questions about flags? Want to know what your national flag means? Want to share lovely obscure flags? Contact me!