Dreaming in Flags: My Life, My Delco, My Vexillography
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with flags. I’m a near-lifelong flag enthusiast — so much so that I joined the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA), a community of people just as passionate about flags as I am.
But this passion isn’t just a hobby to me. It’s a mission.
I envision designing new flags for Delaware County and every town in Delco — and I don’t want to do it alone. I want this to be a big community effort, bringing residents together to create symbols we can all be proud of.
Flags matter. They give people something to rally around, something to love, something that says: We belong. We are here. We matter.
Let’s Start With the Obvious: Delco’s Flag Is Trash
(image via Flags of the World)
The current flag of Delaware County is a design disaster. Sure, it gets one thing right — only two colors (blue and yellow), following one rule from Good Flag, Bad Flag by Ted Kaye. But that’s where the praise ends.
Words? Seal? Tiny details no one can see when it’s flying? That’s the vexillological version of a triple foul. A flag is supposed to be a bold symbol — not a PowerPoint slide in the wind.
And nearly every town in Delco is guilty of the same design crimes.
The Current Flags of Delco Towns: A Lineup of Lost Potential
Here’s the complete list of Delco towns with current flags that fumble the bag — full of words, clutter, or boring seals (all of the following images appear via Flags of the World):
Aston
Brookhaven
Chadds Ford
Chester
Chester Township
Collingdale
Lansdowne
Marcus Hook
They all slap a seal on a background, throw in some text, and call it a day. But a flag isn’t a memo. It’s a symbol meant to spark pride and recognition — fast and from a distance.
How I Fell Into Flags
I was born with a twin in Chester, Pennsylvania — a city with deep roots, rough edges, and, like the rest of Delco, a flag that doesn’t do it justice. My journey through towns like Yeadon, Sharon Hill, and Media shaped me — my joys, my grief, my diagnosis with schizoaffective bipolar disorder, my dreams.
And somewhere along the way, I became obsessed with flags. Not just what they look like — but what they mean. Flags became my language. My therapy. My protest. My art.
Now, I try to devise flags. For fictional nations. For faith. For mental health. For people who feel invisible.
The Flag of Ryanism
All black field: mystery, depth, space for possibility
Yellow Aten in the center: from Ancient Egypt, a symbol of divine light
Four yellow Adinkra are Nsoromma stars (or “child of the heavens”) representing faith and divine protection.
This flag is for anyone who believes in me and the light I carry — like Beanie Sigel said: “I’m like the sun shining at night, imagine it, dog.”
The Wakanda Flag
Black panther with red eye: strength, vision, legacy
Split red and green field: Pan-African colors — for the blood, the land, the people
Black background: the heart of the nation
Wakanda may be fiction, but its impact is real.
The Mental Illness Flag
Black and white split: duality — clarity vs. confusion
Eye with starburst: perception, hypersensitivity, hallucination
Positioned on the divide: living between two worlds
This flag is a reminder: We see. We feel. We’re here.
Flags for My Delco
Here are a few towns I’ve reimagined:
Chester
Colors: Red, black, gold
Symbols: Gear, bridge, star
Vibe: Historic, proud, resilient
Sharon Hill
Colors: Deep blue, gold
Icon: Graceful tulip
Feel: Elegance, endurance
Media
Colors: Blue, green, white
Symbols: Five-leaf tree, courthouse
Tagline: Everybody’s Hometown — reimagined
Lansdowne
Colors: Bright orange, navy
Style: Victorian window pattern
Theme: Art, history, identity
Yeadon
Colors: Blue, yellow, red
Symbols: Golden sun, crossed wheat stalks
Message: Hope, pride, unity, prosperity
Upper Darby
Colors: Purple, gold
Icon: Tower Theater
Message: Diversity, culture, rising upward
Darby
Colors: Blue, green, gold
Symbols: White dove, star, wavy gold stripe (Darby Creek)
Message: Peace, resilience, renewal
Ridley
Colors: Dark green, black, white
Symbols: White oak leaf
Meaning: Strength, resilience, rooted community
Why Flags Matter
I believe people need flags— not just nations and governments. Neighborhoods, towns, marginalized communities, mental health advocates, artists, survivors— we all deserve symbols that reflect our lives, hopes, and struggles.
That’s why I want to create new flags for every corner of Delco, not just as a design project but as a community project— a way to bring people together, honor our stories, and build pride in where we’re from.
Flags remind us that we belong. We have meaning. And we’re worth seeing.
Want to join me on this mission? Do you have a town that needs a flag?
Let’s talk.
📧 Email me: ryan@mewefree.com
📸 Follow: @mewefree on Instagram
