Editor’s note: Have something on your mind? “Community Voices” is the place to let Milwaukee hear what you have to say. To be considered, we need your name, email address and phone number for verification. Please email your submissions to [email protected]. Family photos of the Hernandez family, then and now, with the authors and their father pointed out. (Photos provided by Rozalia Hernandez-Singh) Reynaldo Hernandez is a Milwaukee-based artist who has created some of the city’s most recognizable murals during his 50-year career, including the “Mural of Peace” and “Celebrate the Arts.” In this piece, his daughters Rozalia Hernandez-Singh and Marisa Hernandez-De Windt reflect on their experiences growing up with the renowned artist as a father. Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing! When we talk about my father‘s legacy, we need to first give credit to his ancestors. My great-grandmother migrated to the North looking for a better life. My great-grandfather migrated from Mexico to Chicago and Milwaukee, dying very young. As a single African American mother, what my great-grandmother wanted most was for her children to thrive. Their gifts were in the arts as tap dancers, singers and musicians. My father’s talent was discovered at the age of 2. His mother, a gifted dancer and trained pianist, encouraged him to draw. My grandmother also made sure that her children knew of their Mexican heritage. My father grew up in the ’60s and ’70s, and I believe that era shaped my father — racial injustice, riots, the growth of Puerto Rican and Mexican immigrant communities in Milwaukee. My father grew up on the South Side of Milwaukee and experienced intense racism. His skin was darker in comparison to his brothers and sister, which gave him an awareness and perspective, leading him to develop a love of his Black and Mexican heritage. Growing up, my father taught us to embrace our culture through music, visual art, history and language. Just as he grew up in a very diverse environment, he wanted to teach his children the same. He taught us facts about our cultural history, which made us proud to be who we are. My father is the greatest teacher and storyteller. His stories about Bible characters and historical figures would inspire anyone. Definitely, my favorite gift that I got from my father is the love of learning. So much of his work involves reading and research. I always thought of my father as a walking encyclopedia. He is a bookworm and a sponge for knowledge. His humility is another quality that I adore. He sees the greatness in others. The simplest and smallest act of creation can spark creativity. He taught us to pick up bugs and view them with a magnifying glass, noticing a pattern of the wings, the iridescence of the two colors and their strong armor — the fascinating details that make it amazing! As a child, I remember frequenting the United Community Center and Inner City Arts Council with my father. I remember going to UW-Milwaukee for the film festival. I remember being surrounded by many inspiring artists and attending mural dedications on a regular basis. Art can also be a double-edged sword. There is beauty of expression, but there’s also hardship — the struggles until the next job comes, mental strain to perform and the loneliness that can come with greater awareness of harsh realities. We were exposed to art in the raw. It took me some time to make art a full-time career for myself. After years of unfulfilling jobs, and my father in my ear telling me to go for it, I finally took the plunge. Mentorship from my father has been much like the Karate Kid. He needs perfection, asking me to read deeply about every technique before I put it into practice. I also constantly remind my father that I am just me. When I don’t see or realize my worth, he reminds me, “Yes, you are a woman of color and your struggle is even greater. But you are just as good — if not better. “ My father takes joy in seeing me perform as a visual artist. It took a lot of growth for both of us to get to the point where he can watch me from a distance, nod and say, “That’s good.” That brings me a great sense of satisfaction and joy. When it comes to the legacy of my father, as his daughter, I was surrounded by wisdom, passion, creativity, and sometimes, harsh truth. My father taught us through conversations that made us think deeply about life from a young age. We listened, taking in every single word — he just has a way of making you get excited to learn more. I used to sneak into my dad’s art room, the vault of his soul, so I could secretly read his favorite books.