Our August Granite Staters of the Month: Positive Street Art, Remembering Those We’ve Lost to Substance Use Disorders through Art
This month, I am proud to recognize the team behind Nashua’s Positive Street Art as the Granite Staters of the month for their work remembering those lost to substance use disorders, and supporting those undergoing treatment.
New Hampshire is one of the states that has been hardest hit by the fentanyl, heroin, and opioid epidemic. This epidemic has devastated communities across the Granite State, and far too many people have lost loved ones to substance use disorders. We must continue to honor the memories of those lost and to find ways to support individuals who are going through recovery. In Nashua, Positive Street Art is helping to remember those lost and support those on the road to recovery with a mural called “Take Courage.”
Since 2012, Positive Street Art has promoted the arts in Nashua through urban and public art projects, including murals, workshops, after-school programs, and events like the Downtown Arts Festival. Their newest mural, “Take Courage”, has come together primarily through the efforts of artists Tom Lopez and Manuel Ramirez, as well as through the support of Ric Everhard, Alison Bankowski, and community volunteers Alyssa O’mara, Victor Luce, Patrick Paraggio, Blake Bankowski, John Stein, Lance Isaksen, Paul Alvarez, Valerie Galvao, Ashley Young, and Jessica Ayala. The mural is meant to honor those community members who were lost to substance misuse and inspire those seeking recovery.
When completed, the mural will bear an important and hopeful message for people in Nashua and across the Granite State who have been impacted by this horrific crisis: “Take Courage. When the road is long you must never forget you are never alone.”
In addition to their latest work, Positive Street Art has completed numerous other murals. These include the “Hearts and Minds” mural that honors our veterans, the “Gratitude” mural that reminds viewers to be thankful for the blessings in their daily lives, and the “Nostalgia” mural that highlights the vintage theaters that used to occupy downtown Nashua. They have become beloved additions to the streets of the city.
For their efforts to raise awareness and support those who have been impacted by substance use disorders, as well as their general work to support the arts in Nashua, I am proud to recognize the Positive Street Art team as the August Granite Staters of the Month.
If you know an extraordinary Granite Stater, you can nominate them to be recognized as a Granite Stater of the Month here.
