San Jose City College celebrated Latinx Heritage Month by having Latin artist Nancy Hernandez come speak.

Hernandez is an artist who has worked her way up from being a tutor for youth, to becoming one of the most popular artists in Northern California.

SJCC paid tribute to the local artist, who started her career at a local after-school program, San Francisco Jamestown Community Center, where she attended art classes to help build skills in her artistry.

“Her murals and art have been and continue to be an inspiration for us growing up in such difficult times,”  San Francisco native underground local artist Sharnae Webb said. “My father is Mexican and my mother is mixed race. I identify as bi-racial but when I see her artwork around the city, it makes me proud to be a Latina artist.”

Hernandez started her art career more than a decade ago, experimenting with many different formats of art from watercolor, acrylic and spray paint.

The 41-year-old artist has showcased her artwork all over the world. It has allowed her to maintain balance and harmony within her career, Hernandez said. Through traveling and art, the artist has been able to give back to her community. She said she thrives off of seeing others happy and looks forward to the energies and expressions one has when viewing or admiring her artwork.

Some of her most famous pieces can be viewed online and are showcased in the San Francisco Mission District.

The local artist also became a local activist, speaking out against social injustice against Hispanic immigrants.

Anti-immigrant Proposition 187 was the motive for the strong activism that rose within Hernandez. Campaigns, such as the Proposition 21 movement, taught Hernandez nonviolent skills, which she later used to lead her people to Hilton hotels to protest and fight against unfair treatment and policies.

Hernandez speaks out against the number of males and youth growing in the jail and prison industry. She also has taken action on the increasing number of gang violence in local Hispanic communities.

“Her work is very inspirational. I always enjoy the culture she incorporates in her work and the colorful designs,” Julio Woods said. ”It’s therapeutic in some sense. When I discovered that she was an activist too it only increased my love and appreciation for her. She is definitely one of my favorite artists.”

As of now Hernandez said she continues to protest against laws and unfair treatment that target Hispanic communities. She also continues to give back to her community through teaching art and nonviolent techniques to youth and underprivileged families in the Bay Area.

To learn more about Hernandez or how you can get involved, contact Jamestown Community Center.