Drew Duffy

Glenbrook South High School
he/him/his

Student Design: The I Will Banner Flag

How does the flag you designed represent who you are and what you care about?
I have a variety of interests and this flag reflects several topics which are important to me. I love spending time in nature on the North Branch Trail and that was a big inspiration for my flag, as seen with the Y mimicking the river, path, and forest. I also am a firm believer in the power of protest and the social change that can occur which is what the bold red star symbolizes.
Why did you decide to join the Flag 2021 competition?
When I was younger, my Mom bought me a book of flags where I matched all the countries in the world to their flags and I have been fascinated with flags since then. Look no further than Chicago to see how a well-designed flag can become intertwined with a place’s culture and civic pride.
What did you learn about Cook County that surprised you?
I never knew about the progressive work done by women from Jane Addams’s Hull-House and the many ways they impacted the justice system, like pushing for the world’s first juvenile court system.
Tell us a short story about your collaboration with your flag mentor/partner(s).
I was so lucky to work with one of Cook County’s incredibly talented graphic designers, Martin Burciaga. When I first met Martin, I knew we were a great match because of our shared love of history and passion for this project. At first, all I had was a marker-drawn sketch on a notecard. Martin used his amazing skill set to tweak and transform the flag into the beautiful image you see today. Martin and I made a great team for this project and I am really proud of our work!