The American Civil Liberties Union has named award-winning designer Willy Chavarria as its newest Artist Ambassador. His appointment comes during a year marked by legal battles involving immigrants’ rights and LGBTQ rights. Chavarria will use his voice and visibility to support advocacy efforts during a period shaped by cases like U.S. v. Skirmetti, which defends gender-affirming care for trans youth, and lawsuits against deportations carried out under the Alien Enemies Act.
Chavarria brings a personal connection to the work. A Mexican American and founder of the WILLY CHAVARRIA label, he draws from his own experience growing up in a farming town in California. His design career has centered around issues of identity, race, and sexuality. He has collaborated with the ACLU in past projects, including a New York Fashion Week T-shirt, a voter-focused event called America: Real Talk at Parsons, and the launch of Creatives for Freedom.
Speaking on his appointment, Chavarria said: “The ACLU uses every tool they’ve got to fight for the rights of immigrants and the LGBTQ community, and I’m honored to be able to support them in that work. I’m Mexican American and I grew up in a farming community in California powered by immigrants; all of us exposed to the harsh realities of racial and economic injustice. My work as an artist and designer has been a dialogue between identity and art. My own Chicano culture, queer culture, and my family’s immigrant roots are intertwined in the fashion that my team and I create and in our activism. I believe in using our creative gifts to defend the rights of humanity and all impacted communities not given the same rights as others for who they are or because of where they’re from. I’m so grateful to join the ACLU in the fight for our rights.”
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The ACLU Artist Ambassador Program connects creative figures in fashion, music, film, and literature with specific areas of public education and legal advocacy. Each ambassador chooses a focus that reflects their own lived experience and public work. Chavarria’s role will center on immigrants’ rights and LGBTQ rights, two areas under heavy legal and political scrutiny in 2025.
The organization’s immigrant rights work includes litigation, outreach, and advocacy efforts that challenge indefinite detention, racial profiling, and restrictions on access to legal counsel. For more than 25 years, the ACLU has led efforts against state-level “show me your papers” laws and federal policies that target people based on nationality. Its LGBTQ rights team has argued seven of the nine relevant cases that have gone to the Supreme Court. The organization continues to fight discrimination, protect gender-affirming care, and push for equal legal protections across states.
Chavarria’s advocacy work aligns with his professional recognition. TIME Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2025. His label received CFDA nominations for Menswear Designer of the Year in both 2023 and 2024, reinforcing the visibility and influence he brings into this new role.
Jessica Herman Weitz, national director of artist and entertainment engagement at the ACLU, emphasized the importance of Chavarria’s contribution. “Willy’s passion and steadfast commitment to supporting immigrants’ rights and LGBTQ rights is evident in everything he does. His work tells the story of who he is as the son of immigrants and a proud member of the LGBTQ community, but rather than just letting his work speak for itself, he uses his platform and privilege to make the connections for why representation is important, and how the fabric of our nation is built upon all of the different people who come to this country seeking a better life. We are honored to have Willy join the ACLU as our newest artist ambassador.”
