We were lucky to catch up with Javier Salazar Rojas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Javier thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

I participated in the Playas de Tijuana Mural Project and got to paint my self-portrait on the border wall that divides the U.S. and Mexico. Right where the border wall starts on the western most point of the border wall is a mural with 13 portraits of people who were born in Mexico but taken to the U.S. as children and then deported as adults. When I first got deported I used to go to the beach and look at the border wall and remember thinking how close I am to home but yet so far at the same time. The wall is what divides me from my family and from my home and so to be able to paint it with my art is pretty Impactful and means a lot to me.The Playas De Tijuana Mural project is an interactive mural with QR codes under every portrait that you can scan and learn each individual’s story.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started painting as a way to deal with my anxiety after being deported and separated from my family. I started to paint immigration related art and called myself DeportedArtist in order to bring attention to the plight of the deported person and the need for immigration reform. Once we get deported it’s like we are invisible, out of sight and out of mind. Immigration reform is only for the people in the U.S. and once you’re deported you have nothing coming, no second chances. My art gives the deported community visibility and a voice. I have been deported for 9 years now and art has been my escape,the way I support myself and my calling. My art has now evolved into Artivism.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I was born in Tijuana and taken to Oakland California when I was a few months old so I never had an idea that I was born in Mexico. When I was 11 years old my parents took me to Tijuana to an aunties quinceañera. After the party my family loaded up into our van and we’re saying goodbye so I hurried and tried to get in but my mother stopped me and asked where I was going. I explained I had seen them getting ready to go home and that’s why I was getting in. She explained to me that I didn’t have any papers because I was born in Tijuana so I could not return home with them, that I had to try my luck and cross the border illegally. At 11 years old I could not comprehend why being born in Tijuana made me “illegal” . I was like how can a human being be “illegal “ that night I tried to cross but got caught and deported for the first time . That’s how I found out that I was born in Mexico and that I was undocumented. This experience ultimately changed my life in so many ways but through it all I have never gave up and now use my story as a way to bring attention for the need of immigration reform

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

The best thing people can do to support an artist is to engage with their art. My art has meaning and to me it represents so much more than just a possible sale, it tells a story and sometimes getting that message to the world becomes more important ,so something as simple as sharing the art and tagging the artist is a huge help because it helps expose our art and our message. An Artist sometimes represents those who have been marginalized and muted by society and so anything that helps amplify their message is very helpful. Another thing society can do is to be more inclusive. Upcoming Artists have a difficult time getting into galleries because they are not established or just don’t fit in because it is different. Give young Artists an opportunity to shine.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/deportedartist?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
• Facebook: Javier Salazar Rojas

Image Credits
DeportedArtist