Mr. Xavier Cortada, an internationally renowned artist, has created a beautiful, stark painting depicting the anguish of children and mothers from domestic violent homes. The drawings of children and the refelections of mothers regarding violence are imbedded in the artist’s work. Mr. Cortada specializes in working with children.

The Heroes program began in 1992 at the University of Miami’s Mailman Center for Child Development. It was created in response to a request from the Miami-Dade County Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court’s Domestic Violence Division, Inn Transition, and later by a Dependency Court Intervention Program.

It has gained national recognition and was featured on both a PBS special, hosted by Diane Sawyer and at an International Conference on Domestic Violence. It was a finalist in the 1995 Governor’s Peace at Home Awards.