Symbolic Migration is a visual art workshop inspired by the book Señorita Mariposa, and MISTER G’s journey to visit the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, where he witnessed millions of butterflies congregating in their winter home.

During the workshop, participants create butterflies out of paper and decorate them with paint, markers, and a variety of embellishments. Referred to as “ambassador butterflies”, the finished creations are often put on display as part of the backdrop for a concert performance. Once the event is over, the ambassador butterflies are packed up and sent to our friends in Mexico, where they are distributed to school children during the winter as part of a symbolic migration. This exchange program connects children on both sides of the border, highlighting the responsibility that they share as stewards of the environment and protectors of the pollinator's habitat. Children in the United States can track the destination of their butterfly using an online map, and the recipient classrooms will send letters back to their creators.