Ever wonder how emojis come to life? Potential new emojis go through a rigorous process owned by the Unicode Consortium, and proposals can run up to 10 pages long. A section of that proposal requires "evidence of frequency", and what better way to prove frequency than to create a petition for individuals to show their support.

Currently, Washington D.C. is considered a "subdivision" of the United States. As it stands (03/2021) for flag emoji additions, Unicode Consortium, can't possibly add every subdivision (e.g. state/region around the globe). Only a handful out of the +5000 subdivisions have a flag emoji, due to memory and not wanting to play favorites. With that said, Washington D.C. is a very special case, which is necessary to prove through the proposal.

Washington D.C. is not a state, region, nor geopolitical body. It is a unique world capital, that is its own territory and not simply a city within the continental U.S. It is most comparable to Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Island in its role for the U.S. government, and thus, must have its flag represented among our current emojis. Washington D.C. welcomed over +23 Million tourists, with 1.9M (excl. MX and CA) from overseas in 2018. That number, excluding the year 2020, has only increased year to year from 2009-2018.

Washington D.C. is beloved by travelers, historians, and families around the globe, and while the people continue to fight for statehood, it only makes sense to hallmark the D.C. flag as an emoji so people from everywhere can show their love for the District. By signing this petition, you are solidifying your support and agreement that Washington D.C.'s flag should become an emoji.