High school student gives immigrants a voice through art

By: WSB Community

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Maite Nazario is telling her story and the experiences of others immigrating to the United States through her artwork.

The 18-year-old artist’s family lived in Guatemala and Puerto Rico before moving to Georgia three years ago. At first, the student struggled to make the cultural transition. While learning English, Nazario says she found her voice at the end of her paintbrush with the help of a high school art teacher.

“You don’t have to speak Spanish to understand art,” she said. “You don’t have to have a certain skin color, you don’t have to be a certain gender. You look at it and it makes you feel something.”

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Nazario says her family left Guatemala due to violence and ultimately moved from her father’s home of Puerto Rico for better financial and educational opportunities.

“My goal with my art is to create empathy,” she said. “To make people understand where immigrants come from and why.”

Nazario is a 2016 finalist in the Latin American Association’s ‘Portraying the Undocumented Experience’ art contest.

Cox Media Group