Nick Hernandez volunteers his time and talent to help Humboldt Park volunteers de-stress.
Written by: Lauren Stanford
Edited by: Olivia Covey and Yasmin Mendiola
During the pandemic, many Chicagoans stepped up to support their neighbors in need. Nick Hernandez chose a unique way to help his Humboldt Park community: through art.
Hernandez was first introduced to art therapy by his therapist, who believed it would be good treatment for his PTSD.
“I was able to draw and show my therapist exactly what I’m seeing,” he says.
Once he realized how therapeutic artwork was for him, he began hosting art classes for others, to help them de-stress.
Hernandez has lived in the Humboldt Park neighborhood for the last 30 years. He worked for Comcast for 10 years until his struggle with PTSD became more prominent.
“Unfortunately, too many things around Chicago cause my PTSD to be at a point where my job was like, ‘We’ll send you to a therapist,’” Hernandez says. “As a Hispanic, I was like, ‘What’s a therapist?’ There’s a stigma.”
Once the pandemic hit Chicago, Hernandez’s time shifted toward volunteering at the Humboldt Park Solidarity Network, a volunteer-led mutual aid group of neighbors supporting each other during COVID-19.
Although the group primarily focuses on providing resources like groceries and rent support to members of the community, Hernandez’s approach to helping is by sharing art therapy with others. This includes hosting art classes for all ages, and providing a space in his apartment building for fellow volunteers to gather and express themselves through art in a COVID-19 safe environment.
Upon receiving a peace grant from the Chicago based organization My Block My Hood My City in 2020, Hernandez used some of that funding to host the mutual aid group’s first art class.
Another volunteer at the group, Jorge Palmetto, has worked alongside Hernandez, tapping into his own artistic talents. Palmetto, also known as @nambopaints on Instagram, has hosted an art class for all ages in Humboldt Park.
The mutual aid group works alongside several other similar groups around the city. The groups continue to feed off the energy of each other and share resources with one another. While the city of Chicago may not be doing much to provide relief to its citizens, it’s apparent that community members can rely on each other and the help of volunteers for assistance.
Support during a difficult time can look like a lot of different things. For some, it’s rent assistance or help with food insecurity. Hernandez believes that using art to express feelings is just as important as any other kind of support.
“If you’re having issues where you’re ruminating or thinking about the past or past trauma, artwork can bring you back to the present,” he says.
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