Comfort in Art - Sara's Story

Sara has always found comfort in art. When she was younger, when she didn’t know how to express herself, drawing and painting helped her find her voice. Creating helped her find structure and organize her thoughts when she felt her life was overwhelming. By putting her feelings and experiences into something tangible, Sara found a way to express herself and face her trauma. She would show her art to her Pivotal coach, and to her social workers, to help them understand her and her experiences when she couldn’t always give a voice to them.

Sara is passionate about working with children and sharing the healing power of art with others. She has worked with Catholic Charities and the San Jose Public Library, helping them build curriculums for after-school programs. She wants to give back and is considering becoming an art therapist or a teacher. Her goal is to work with kids who don’t have the words to say what they’re feeling and help them express their emotions visually.

Artist J. Duh focused on Sara’s eagerness to give back when creating her art piece. She is grateful to everyone who helped her along the way and wants to pay it forward so others can experience joy and find peace in creativity.

Sara completed an associate degree in Psychology with honors at San Jose City College and will be transferring to San Jose State University in the fall, majoring in Psychology. She’s proud to be a first-generation college student and to have Pivotal’s support in her journey.

“Pivotal supported me academically, but they did so much more. My coach helped me every step of the way and motivated me to achieve more in my life. That's something I didn't have before, and it had such a positive impact on who I am today. In the future, I want to be a beacon of hope to kids who are going through experiences like my own when I was growing up.”