Downtown Los Angeles has turned into a glowing canvas of compassion and protest. On Thursday, November 6, three major cultural institutions in the city unveiled massive illuminated portraits on their buildings, marking the launch of the new Am I Next campaign.
Illuminated Images from the Am I Next Campaign Turn Buildings into Beacons of Solidarity
These billboard-sized images, measuring around 20 by 30 feet, shine each night across downtown L.A. — from the California Community Foundation (CCF) to LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes and the Japanese American National Museum (JANM). Each projection features portraits of local residents standing in unity with immigrants and neighbors recently detained during federal immigration raids.
The Am I Next campaign reminds everyone of a shared truth — when people ignore basic rights, no one remains truly safe. The campaign uses public art to confront the growing fear and uncertainty that surround immigration enforcement actions in communities across Los Angeles County.
The illuminated portraits feature short stories about people taken away, including lawful residents and U.S. citizens, showing the human face of the raids’ consequences. The central question, “Am I Next?”, challenges viewers to think deeply about what happens when society weakens or ignores civil rights.
Art, History, and Community Unite for a Common Cause
Several Los Angeles organizations — including CCF, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, the Japanese American National Museum, the Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA), and the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) — created the Am I Next campaign together. They joined forces to highlight the human impact of immigration raids and to warn about the broader threat to democracy that arises when fear divides communities.
In downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach, and the Westside, the campaign displays glowing installations on prominent buildings, ensuring that passersby see them clearly. Each projection acts as both a piece of art and a public statement, declaring that every person, regardless of background, deserves dignity, safety, and belonging.
At LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, the campaign includes an additional project titled “We Belong Here.” This display features more than 30 large-scale digital artworks created by nine local artists, along with 13 neon pieces by another Los Angeles artist. These works use bright colors, bold graphics, and emotional imagery to celebrate diversity and emphasize that everyone in Los Angeles County deserves to live without fear.
The participating artists use illustration, design, and symbolism to express belonging and resilience. The art installation transforms public walls into expressions of hope and unity, especially at a time when many families are living in uncertainty due to sudden immigration raids.
The Am I Next campaign also extends beyond physical buildings. It encourages community members to take part digitally by sharing their own stories and photos through the campaign’s online platform. By doing so, Angelenos can turn social media and digital spaces into virtual walls of solidarity.
Am I Next Campaign Connects Past and Present to Defend Civil Rights
The Am I Next campaign carries deep meaning at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), where striking projections blend history with the present. The museum displays images from its archives showing Japanese Americans forcibly taken to camps during World War II, alongside new portraits of Angelenos standing against today’s immigration raids.
This link between past and present is intentional, reminding viewers that injustice often begins quietly when the rights of a few are ignored. JANM’s location itself holds history — it was once where over 37,000 Japanese Americans boarded buses to internment camps in 1942. Through these projections, the Am I Next campaign urges people to see how civil rights violations can repeat if left unchecked.
Organizers say memory can serve as resistance, protecting freedom and fairness for all. The Am I Next campaign stands as both an art project and a civic statement about dignity and democracy.
Los Angeles-Class Submarines: U.S. Naval Powerhouse
Each evening at 6 p.m., the California Community Foundation building at 717 West Temple Street lights up with these glowing portraits. At the same time, the campaign’s website — AmINextLA.org — invites residents to upload their photos in solidarity. Its materials are open-source, encouraging others to share and participate.
The Am I Next campaign launched November 6, uniting artists, community members, and civic groups to highlight justice and belonging. Night after night, the illuminated images remind Los Angeles that equality and compassion must be protected — not just for some, but for everyone.