The Story of Osmar Through His Art

Osmar’s Story

Osmar arrived in the United States when he was 14 years old after fleeing El Salvador with his younger sister in search of safety from abuse. After a difficult journey, Osmar happily reunited in Los Angeles with his father, who he hadn’t seen in seven years. He enjoys playing soccer and DJ’ing at home with his dad and dreams of becoming a nurse one day. “I want to save many lives. I like everything about medicine,” he said.

With KIND’s assistance, Osmar obtained his Green Card and is grateful for the support his attorney and team at KIND provided him and his family. “Thanks to KIND, we got our lawyer, and she helped us with a lot of things like getting the Green Card. So, KIND has given us a lot of help.” He also fondly remembers the close relationship he had with his attorney sharing, “Well, it was very nice because from the beginning she was kind throughout the course of what she was doing. She was super, super excellent, and I liked her way of handling the case, I liked how she treated us. We even invited her to meet, to have a coffee. She went, we gave her a scarf and she liked it very much – she was delighted.”

Among Osmar’s many interests is art, particularly drawing. One of his drawings is featured in KIND’s traveling client art exhibit.  He hopes to one day see his pieces in person, “I would like that, to travel, see my drawings in museums.”

Osmar realized he liked drawing during a memorable moment at KIND’s Los Angeles’s office when his attorney asked him to draw something during some free time. “In art, I started here [in the United States] because I didn’t know what my abilities were there [in El Salvador]. Then here I came to discover that I liked it, I like art. So, when KIND and the lawyer told me ‘Oh, make a drawing,’ then I did it. I remember that I did a little dog, and I did the drawing of the boy who is sitting [featured in KIND’s traveling art show]. And I did it with an expression of the past, kind of how I felt, because well, my mom, I haven’t seen her for almost 12 years, so it’s very difficult for me to see that image. Because it reminds me a lot of the past and until today, I have made some drawings that KIND has liked a lot and I thank her for that. And because the drawings represent me how my life has changed before and after. That is why I have given my drawings to KIND.” Over time he has also seen how much his art technique has changed as well as the meaning behind his drawings, “Before I used to make sad drawings and today, I make drawings that really fill me with joy, and I say wow. How a drawing that I used to make before has changed to a happy drawing now. And that’s why today I make drawings under an expectation that I say how far have we come?”

Osmar encourages children who are facing the same challenges he once did to stay strong. “I would tell them to work hard, that here is a good future for them and that they should find their abilities, because we all have abilities that we have not yet found. So that’s what I would tell them, to work hard.”

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“This drawing was done using a very small pencil. I did it one day after coming back from work and that day I had so many memories in my head. The drawing is of my sister’s story. In her childhood, she suffered so much. She didn’t have a childhood like other girls her age. She was mistreated, and these are bad memories which up until this day, we’ve surpassed. The band-aid on the nose represents that she’s doing much better than before. That now, she has the childhood that she wanted, has the liberty to be happy, to see a new world, and to reach the dreams she’s set out for herself. Thanks to our father, we have a better life, and thanks to him, we are in a country that gives us so many opportunities. I want him to feel proud of us. “

Q&A With Osmar

We met you several years ago at KIND. The last time I saw you was in 2019. Since then. What has happened to your life? What have you done since we last met in the office? And what are your interests? What do you like to do?

Well, what has happened over the years… I finished high school, I started working and now, thank God, I am working as a busboy and currently I like cooking, I like to cook, I like to draw a little bit and next year I want to start studying nursing.

 

Why would you like to study nursing?

Because I want to save many lives. I like everything about medicine. I like to learn a little bit more. So that’s why I want to learn nursing.

 

Have you had a long-standing interest in medicine?

Yes, since I was little since my grandmother died. So, from there I was like ‘I want to study this, to save lives’.

 

When did you start working with KIND and how has the organization helped you with your legal case? Could you tell us a little about that?

Yes, I started with KIND in 2016. I came with my dad here to the offices and there really wasn’t like a lawyer waiting for us, they just told us, “Look at this lawyer, she can help you.” And then the lawyer took the case and after that everything started. It’s a long story and thanks to KIND, we got our lawyer, and she helped us with a lot of things like getting the Green Card, getting the social security number. So, KIND has given us a lot of help.

 

What can you say about the relationship you had with your lawyer? What was it like?

Well, it was very nice because from the beginning she was kind and everything throughout the course of what she was doing. She was super, super excellent, and I liked her way of handling the case, I liked how she treated us. We even invited her to meet, to have a coffee. She went, we gave her a scarf and she liked it very much – she was delighted.

 

How is the relationship with your sister who was also a KIND client?

With my sister. Our relationship has been very close, because in the beginning, when we were in El Salvador, there was a lot of mistreatments, so we didn’t have a relationship. In fact, she took care of me more than I took care of her. But currently, when we started this new life in the United States, we were with my dad and the relationship was better because we were all together. So up until now, for the moment we are getting along well. We have gotten to know each other a little more as siblings, we are taking care of each other, and we have a nice relationship [with my sister].

 

How has life been now in the United States? With your family?

It has been very nice because I had not seen my dad for about seven years and then I came here to see him. So, we were very small, we asked a lot about my dad and even here in the United States I came to meet him, and it has been very nice because the truth is, I don’t have enough words to thank my dad. He has simply told me,”Look, study, get ready, I want a better future for you.” And that’s what I’m doing.

 

What activities do you like to do as a family?

Well, I like to go to play soccer with my dad. Always on weekends. Well, sometimes I tell him let’s go play soccer or watch. He also starts singing and tells me, “Come on son, let’s sing, let’s sing, let’s sing.” So, the relationship between children and parents is very nice.

 

What do you like to sing together? Instruments? 

A little bit of everything. We play with the DJ board. We’re on that. So, I already know a little bit about DJing. So, I’m teaching him how to now. Or how the music goes. Everything. So, it’s really nice.

 

We also know that you love art. Can you tell us about when you started art? What motivated you to do it? How has that process been with this as a means of expression?

In art, I started here [United States] because I didn’t know what my abilities were there [El Salvador]. Then here I came to discover that I liked it, I like art. So, when KIND and the lawyer told me, “Oh, make a drawing,” then I did it. I remember that I did a little dog, and I did the drawing of the boy who is sitting. And I did it with an expression of the past, kind of how I felt, because well, my mom, I haven’t seen her for almost 12 years, so it’s very difficult for me to see that image. Because it reminds me a lot of the past and until today, I have made some drawings that KIND has liked a lot and I thank her for that. And because the drawings represent me how my life has changed before and after. That is why I have given my drawings to KIND, and if you have any questions or a drawing that you want me to draw for you, I could draw it for you.

 

Is art something you are passionate about? Would you like to consider that as a professional career path in the future?

God willing, yes.

 

What would you like to do with your art? Travel? Take it to different spaces?

Well, I would like that, to travel, see my drawings in museums, like my drawing is currently at a museum [One of Osmar’s pieces is part of KIND’s traveling client art exhibit and was shown at Mana Contemporary for one month in spring 2022]

 

How has art helped you to express yourself? In what other ways has art helped you?

To clear my mind. Sometimes I know that we all have problems and that helps me not to be thinking about problems and to have my mind occupied with something. So, art is very nice. Sometimes you don’t know what to draw but then suddenly you have finished, and the drawing is already on paper.

 

How do you think your art has changed from the past to the art you are doing now? Has anything changed in your technique, anything in the way you draw?

Yes, it has changed in the sense that before I used to make sad drawings and today, I make drawings that really fill me with joy and I say wow. How a drawing that I used to make before has changed to a happy drawing now. And that’s why today I make drawings under an expectation that I say how far have we come?

 

If you could say something to a child who suddenly is about to take that journey to the United States, who has doubts about what could happen once they arrive, who has gone through similar experiences to yours and your sister, what would you say?

Well, I would tell him to work hard, that here is a good future for him and that he should find his abilities, because we all have abilities that we have not yet found. So that’s what I would tell him, to work hard.

 

Any last words before ending the conversation?

Well, thank you very much to you, the staff and KIND for helping me and my sister too. Thank you very much.