A Hailey artist is creating free signs honoring the valley’s immigrant community, aiming to spark compassion and unity through art.
HAILEY, Idaho — In the Wood River Valley, art sparks a conversation about compassion, unity, and the unseen hands behind the community’s beauty.
Hailey artist José Hurtado is using his creativity to honor the immigrant community, which he says is often overlooked.
“There’s always been an immigrant population in Hailey,” Hurtado said, pointing to Chinese railroad workers, Peruvian sheepherders and Mexican laborers who have all shaped the valley’s history. “I hope people feel compassionate and willing to include everybody in our community.”
Hurtado designed a colorful sign depicting families of different generations alongside a flower being uprooted. It’s a symbol, he says, of migrants who provide resources and stability much like pollinator species do for Idaho’s ecosystem. He drew inspiration from Peruvian weaving and embroidery to highlight the cultural skills many immigrants bring with them.
Hurtado says he’s already seen Hailey residents use his signs.
“I’ve seen it in a lot of people’s yards already. It’s exciting to see that people you know agree with this, like, kind of support that we are trying to foster, because it already exists here,” Hurtado said.
The artwork has resonated with residents like Deborah Knapp, who said the signs encouraged her to learn more about the immigrant experience.
“That is a powerful message that they are being uprooted, and we need to help them put those stakes in the ground, because we need them here,” Knapp said. “Putting a sign like this tells people, ‘I support you, I’m with you, you’re not alone.’”
The message of Hurtado’s work is printed on the sign in both English and Spanish: “Together we stand as immigrants, family, neighbors and friends.”
For more information on the signs and the message behind it visit The Hunger Coalition and Idaho Recourse Immigrant Alliance’s Instagram page.