Legalize LA

"Legalize LA" is an activist campaign promoting immigration reform, propagated through billboards, protests, clothing, advertisements, educational pamphlets, and grass roots support, underwritten by American Apparel. [http://www.dmiblog.com/archives/2008/01/american_apparel_scoops_the_ca.html American Apparel Scoops the Candidates on Immigration] Suman Raghunathan. January 18th. 2008] Originating locally in downtown Los Angeles, the company took the campaign national in early 2008.

The Campaign

Legalize LA is billed as an education and media advertising campaign. According to Dov Charney, Legalize LA was an open alternative to private lobbying. Charney also stated that the cause is part of the core of the company. [ [http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/18/american-apparel-takes-a-stand-on-immigration-reform-good-bus/ American Apparel takes a stand on immigration reform, Good for Business?] Blogging Stocks.] Choosing to advertise social causes not directly related to the fashion company's product has drawn comparisons to campaigns done by advertisers like United Colors of Benetton and Nike

American Apparel released a line of t-shirts featuring the words "Legalize LA" that were sold in its retail locations. The company donates the proceeds of the shirts to Los Angeles-based immigration rights groups.cite news
last =Madrigal
first = Jake
title = American Apparel Speaks Out on Immigration Reform
publisher = Glendale College El Vaquero
date = May 14th, 2008
url = http://media.www.elvaq.com/media/storage/paper925/news/2008/05/14/News/American.Apparel.Speaks.Out.On.Immigration.Reform-3372526.shtml
accessdate = 2008-06-26] Legalize LA participated in the May Day protests in 2008. [ [http://blogdowntown.com/2008/05/3281-small-in-numbers-large-in-color Small in Numbers Large in Color] BlogDowntown. May 1st, 2008] American Apparel employees were given the day off work to participate.

The company also maintains a Legalize LA portion of their website that features news articles relating to immigration reform, the brand and information on the history of the issue. [ [http://americanapparel.net/contact/legalizela/ Legalize LA subpage]

Ads

Legalize LA ran advertisements [http://www.americanapparel.net/contact/legalizela/images/Ad_Jointz_120104.jpg] that pushed for the legalization of the country's undocumented workers in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times. [http://americanapparel.net/presscenter/ads/newyorktimes0712.html American Apparel Ad] Featured in the "New York Times". December 2007] The ads appeared in both Spanish and English. [ [http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/ads/laopinion0803.html Provacative Ads] American Apparel Sobre Inmigración. LA Opinion]

One ad featured a quote from President George W. Bush expressing the need for immigration reform and asked why nothing had been done. It ended with the words "It's time to Legalize LA and the USA." Ads have also implied that the current laws constitute an "apartheid."cite news
last =Story
first = Louise
title = Politics Wrapped in a Clothing Ad
publisher = New York Times
date = January 18th 2008
url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/business/media/18adco.html?_r=2&scp=5&sq=immigration&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
accessdate = 2008-06-26] Another campaign used an excerpt from John F. Kennedy's essay, "A Nation of Immigrants". [ [http://www.flickr.com/photos/catheadsix/2507740810/ JFK Quote] Flickr. May 19th, 2008]

The company also put up billboards, bus stop ads and posters throughout Los Angeles. [ [http://www.flickr.com/photos/catheadsix/2507740810/ Legalize LA Bus Ad] Flickr. May 19th, 2008] [ [http://www.flickr.com/photos/operadork/13518493/ American Apparel billboard ] @ Sunset and Alvarado] They also placed two large banners across their downtown factory that read "Legalize LA" and "Immigration Reform Now!" [ [http://www.flickr.com/photos/alossix/2588197597/in/set-72157605676182375/ Angelenic Photo Tour] "Immigration Reform Now!] [ [http://www.flickr.com/photos/alossix/2588179507/in/set-72157605676182375/ Angelenic Photo Tour] "Legalize LA]

Criticism and Reception

The company's message was later endorsed by California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, according to the Los Angeles Times.cite news
last =Tsu
first = Tiffany
title = Nuñez denounces ICE raids on businesses
publisher = Los Angeles Times
date = April 30th 2008
url = http://www.latimes.com/news/local/crime/la-fi-raids30apr30,0,523238.story
accessdate = 2008-06-26] He gave a speech denouncing ICE's raids on "nonexploitive" companies underneath the Legalize LA banner at the downtown Los Angeles factory alongside company executives.

One group responded by picketing the company's store in Pasadena, California with signs that said "Legalize LA: Deport Immigrants". A group called Save Our State uploaded a series of protest videos on YouTube renaming "Legalize LA" as "Amnesty for Illegal Aliens." [ [http://youtube.com/watch?v=4ajS1Yz67Ik YouTube: Save Our State vs. American Apparel] "5 patriots from the organization Save Our State protest American Apparel and its "Legalize LA" campaign (amnesty for illegal aliens)."] The videos feature the group picketing outside of the company's Hollywood store. American Apparel also received hate mail regarding the campaign which they subsequently posted online. [ [http://www.americanapparel.net/presscenter/dailyupdate/dailyUp.asp?d=7&t=1036 Hate Mail of the Day] 4/1/08] Angered by the company's politics, a group launched a website called BoycottAmericanApparel.com that gave away stickers to participants. [ [http://thecandidconservative.blogspot.com/2008/04/legalize-la-deport-illegal-immigrants.html Legalize L.A.- Deport Illegal Immigrants] "Candidly Conservative"] [ [http://boycottamericanapparel.com/ Boycott American Apparel.com]

The campaign also inspired Vice Magazine to release a video documentary called "Illegal LA - Immigration, Deportation, and the Right to Work" that featured Dov Charney and other immigration figures. [ [http://animalnewyork.com/video/2008/06/vbs-illegal-la-video-doubles-a.php VBS' 'Illegal LA' Video Doubles As American Apparel Advertorial] Animal New York]

ee also

*American Apparel
*Immigration
*Media activism

External links

* [http://www.americanapparel.net/contact/legalizela/ Official Legalize LA Homepage]
* [http://www.americanapparel.net/contact/legalizela/Legalize_LA.pdf What Does Legalize LA Mean?] (pdf)
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/legalizela Legalize LA Photos] (Flickr)

References