According to the U.S. Census, in 2007 there were 45.5 million Hispanics in the United States, a country with a total population of a little over three hundred million. This thesis examines the lives of Hispanic people living in the United States; why they migrate legally or illegally; and how Hispanic migrants and immigrants are perceived in the United States. Raising American awareness and promoting Hispanic empowerment are presented as key tools for shaping the grounds for respectful mutual adaptation.

Hispanics are the biggest minority group in the United States; by virtue of size alone, this can cause tensions even within a largely diverse population, like that of this country. Some people, chameleons in a sense, have planted one foot on each side simultaneously and quickly become cultural translators and facilitators of information. Chameleon-like ability allows them to blend into either side and examine discrepancies. I, the author of this thesis, am one such chameleon.

Thanks to my physical and mental ability to blend into either side, I can point out the dilemma found at the crossroads where cultural head butting occurs. The crossroads are places these two cultures collide head-to-head and where stereotypes meet, such as in neighborhoods, schools, and work environments.

The body of work aims to stimulate the visual, auditory, and tactile senses. I have chosen to depict three main projects to explain these experiences. First, Idiosyncrasies introduces the history of the Americas in relation to language, social inequalities, and cultural practices. Secondly, Snippets visualizes interviews conducted with head butters at the crossroads, highlighting their differences and misconceptions. Lastly, The New Game of Life relies on the power of graphic design to offer a visual language for this bidirectional role-play that is engaging and personal.

Idiosyncrasies resulted from my personal need to investigate the interactions between two cultures -- Americans and recently emigrating Hispanics. Being exposed to both cultures, I have seen the misunderstandings and misconceptions that could have been avoided at the crossroads. Although Hispanics come from 21 countries and America is also extremely diverse in culture, there are nevertheless statistically based conclusions that could be drawn. This work goes beyond personal experience using research to understand the interactions between these two sectors.

The book is presented as follows: the twenty-two chapter headings identify key crossroad issues; for example physical contact, work versus play, and family dynamics. The parallelism of the spreads is exploited to present dual experience of both cultures. On the left side you will find what is commonly believed by Americans, and on the opposite page you will find what most Hispanics agree are their cultural practices. The goal is to present tensions which will allow the reader to rethink prejudices.