About Miguelito’s Little Green Car
WE ARE ALL CONNECTED
The Story
One day in a happy fit of energy, while playing with a small toy car a two and half year-old boy named Miguelito threw it into a garage piled to the roof with boxes. It landed out of sight behind so many boxes that it would have taken superhuman feats to find it, so the car was assumed to be lost and was forgotten about.
But many months later, when the garage was cleaned out the little green car was found. It was given to me to return to Miguelito.
Instead, I started taking the little green car with me to mountain summits and on my travels. In my care, the car has been traveling the world and meeting people from all walks of life. This website exists to chronicle those travels for Miguelito, my nephew, and these are the adventures of Miguelito’s Little Green Car.
This project is meant to remind us that we are all connected. Thousands of people from around the world from all walks of life are interconnected through the green car.
Leroy Schulz
Photographer
The Details
What
Miguelito’s Little Green Car is a long-term art project by Canadian photographer Leroy Schulz for his ten year old nephew, Miguelito. Participants pose for a photo with a small, die-cast toy car belonging to Miguelito. The project consists of a website with photos and stories. Ultimately, a book and public photo exhibit is anticipated.
When
The project began in 2007 and will end in 2021 when Miguelito turns 18 years old. It will conclude with a book of photos and stories in which all of the people in it, from all walks of life from around the world, interconnected because he exists. The photos from the intervening years will form an auto-biographical, visual documentary of our lives and times. A large public exhibition in a gallery space is anticipated.
Where
Everywhere! So far the car has traveled to many countries, including Canada, the United States, the Philippines, Jordan, Israel, Italy, Mexico, and France, with many more countries expected.
Why
In this project, the toy car represents the interconnection that exists between all of us. Rich or poor, powerful or powerless, young or old, regardless of race, religion, culture, creed, gender or nationality, the car is an equalizer. We are all connected.
Who
The project includes a diverse range of people from all walks of life from all around the world. They range from a 75 minute-old baby to a 95 year-old World War II veteran. Laborers, artists, musicians, politicians, business people, academics, entertainers, athletes, authors, doctors, soldiers, models, activists, Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel Prize nominees, and many others are represented.
See below for a partial breakdown of people in the project.
Media
The story of this project has been covered widely by newspapers (including the Edmonton Journal, Calgary Herald, Regina Leader-Post, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, etc.), radio (CBC Radio 1, 630CHED, iNews880, UP!99.3FM, 100.3THEBEAR), and television (CTV’s Canada AM, broadcast live coast-to-coast, CTV Edmonton, Global TV, Omni TV), blogs (Unmarketing) and public events (Pecha Kucha Night, etc.). Visit the media coverage page.
Who’s In It
Notable people in the project include:
• Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge
• Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations
• Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
• Stephen Harper, Paul Martin, Kim Campbell, former Prime Ministers of Canada
• Gordie Howe, retired hockey superstar
• Gordon Ramsay, chef, television personality, and restauranteur
• Jerry Seinfeld, television personality, comedian, actor, producer
• Peter Mansbridge, broadcaster, news anchor, chief correspondent for CBC News
• Dave Hancock, Alison Redford, Ed Stelmach, Ralph Klein, Peter Lougheed, former Premiers of Alberta
• Jack Layton, Michael Ignatieff, Gilles Duceppe, Preston Manning, former leaders of Canadian federal parties
• Bob Rae, Stephane Dion, Olivia Chow, Elizabeth May, Canadian federal politicians
• Sir Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Naomi Klein, Michael Ondaatje, authors
• Robert Bateman, iconic artist and conservationist
• Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire, former Canadian senator, humanitarian, author and retired general.
• James Cartwright, retired U.S. Marine Corps four-star general, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• The Chilean Miners, three months after their rescue from the mine
• Snoop Dogg, Jim Cuddy, Alan Doyle, Blind Boys of Alabama, musicians.
Selected Breakdown Of Participants
Royalty
• Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge
International Politicians
• Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations
Military
• Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire., Canadian senator, humanitarian, author and retired general.
• James Cartwright, U.S. Marine Corps four-star general, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Authors
• Sir Salman Rushdie
• Margaret Atwood
• Naomi Klein
• Michael Ondaatje
Canadian Prime Ministers
• Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
• Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister of Canada
• Paul Martin, former Prime Minister of Canada
• Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada
Canadian Federal Party Leaders
• Jack Layton, former leader of the NDP Party of Canada
• Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada
• Michael Ignatieff, former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
• Bob Rae, former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
• Stephane Dion, former leader of the Liberal Party of Canada
• Gilles Duceppe, former leader of the Bloc Quebecois
• Preston Manning, former leader of the Reform Party
Canadian Premiers
• Rachel Notley, Premier of Alberta
• Brad Wall, Premier of Saskatchewan
• Dave Hancock, Premier of Alberta
• Ed Stelmach, Premier of Alberta
• Ralph Klein, Premier of Alberta
• Peter Lougheed, Premier of Alberta
Athletes
• Gordie Howe, hockey superstar
• Andrew Ference, former captain of the Edmonton Oilers
• Ryan Smyth, former captain of the Edmonton Oilers
Television Celebrities
• Gordon Ramsay, chef, television personality, and restauranteur
• Jerry Seinfeld, television personality, comedian, actor, producer
Musicians
• Snoop Dogg, rap superstar
• The Jackson Brothers, pop music superstars
• The Blind Boys of Alabama
• Jim Cuddy
• Alan Doyle
Artists
• Robert Bateman, iconic artist and conservationist
Others
• Peter Mansbridge, broadcaster, news anchor, chief correspondent for CBC News
• The Chilean Miners, three months after their rescue from the mine
Special Thanks
True to the theme of interconnection, this project would not be possible without the help of supporters from near and far. I owe much gratitude to anyone who has helped by opening a door or given encouragement or support. I particularly want to thank:
- Margo K for early and ongoing encouragement.
- The online society at Andrew’s Kitchen for sagacity and support.
- Omar Sachedina for opening doors.
- LouAnne Babcook for tremendous support, encouragement, generosity, guidance and idea generating.
- Mike Hanson for brainstorming, feedback and support.
- Joan Broughton for brainstorming and support.
- Maria Ospina for staggering enthusiasm and tireless support.
- Erin Clyde for explosive enthusiasm and brainstorming.
- Sergio Torres for support, moral and otherwise, and for being a perpetual idea machine.
- Joey McColm for enthusiasm, idea-generation and support.
- Dave K. and Natalya M. for material and psychological support.
- J. Black for believing that a late-night stranger was legit.
- Andrea Anderson for unwavering support of all kinds.
- anyone who took a seemingly outlandish request for a photo with a toy car seriously.
- all of you who comment on and share photos. That’s wind in the sails of the project.
Thank you!