Rochester’s "Human Flag" to Celebrate National Pride
RIT Photo Professors to Produce "Big Shot" of Patriotic Display Hundreds of Volunteers Needed to Help Illuminate the Event
Students, faculty and staff from Rochester Institute of Technology will play a major role in producing an exciting display of patriotism.
Monday evening, Nov. 12, marks the debut of Rochester’s "Human Flag." Coinciding with the observance of Veterans Day, thousands of area residents will gather at Frontier Field to become part of this memorable event being photographed by RIT professors.
The Human Flag will take shape beginning at approximately 5:30 p.m. At the stadium, each person taking part in the Human Flag project will receive a cardboard square—colored either red, white or blue. About 2,000 participants will then be arranged on the field to form the image of an American flag. This display of camaraderie is designed to encourage everyone to share support for our country during this time of national crisis.
"It’s always good to show our patriotism and pride in our country," says RIT President Albert Simone. "But at this particular time, it’s even more important because the enemy we face deals in symbols—they tried to crush our most important symbols that reflect freedom and the free-enterprise system. In the war of symbols, we should show our flag in as big and dramatic a way as they are trying to tear it down."
The event will be similar to the School of Photographic Arts and Sciences’ traditional Big Shot project. Bill DuBois, Michael Peres and Dawn Tower DuBois will reprise their roles as photo coordinators. "We hope that the RIT community will turn out by the hundreds to help light the scene with flashlights or camera flashes," says Peres.
Up to 1,000 volunteers, dressed in dark clothing, will be needed for the lighting—bringing the total number of participants to about 3,000. "Flashers" should plan to arrive well before the 6:15 p.m. shoot, Peres advises.
The resulting photograph will appear in the Democrat and Chronicle and will be posted to the Big Shot Web site. Organizers will also transform the photograph into a memento poster, with proceeds going to a local charity.
RIT joins WHEC-TV (Channel 10), Infinity radio stations WARM, WZNE, WCMF and WPXY, and the Democrat and Chronicle in sponsoring Rochester’s Human Flag.