by Monsurat Ottun / Reza Corinne Clifton

Like the colors and images found in her cover art piece, "Magic Mamas," Tamara Diaz has a lot of different influences and experiences that have painted her life. Today, she uses art in her work as a clinical therapist. Diaz recently won the Extraordinary Woman's Award for Cultural Enrichment as part of the Until the Violence STOPS: Rhode Island festival. Diaz is "very passionate about documentation, photography and seeing how different cultures and classes live, both here and in other countries." She is inspired, in part by her mother's family, who were Holocaust survivors, from her childhood and adolescence in Barcelona, Spain and New York City, and from backpacking trips through Mexico, Central America and Europe. Diaz dreams of one day traveling to her father's homeland of Cuba, which today remains restricted for American citizens. To see more of her artwork, visit www.lovethyjob.com/TamaraDiaz.

"After college, I began working at the Rape Crisis Center and at a group home for teenage girls. I continued to get my Masters of Social Work, and then my Independent License, which was a good move since there are many Spanish-speaking people who need help, and not so many Spanish-speaking clinicians. At my full time job, I do home visits all over Rhode Island and work on the Bilingual team. I also work out of the office and work primarily with Latino clients doing therapy to address mental health issues, behavior and emotional issues and trauma. I am very passionate about my work and feel blessed to be able to help others." - Tamara Diaz, artist and clinical therapist