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!