Nicoelle Danielle Cohen is a local artist and a graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, and after the tragic shooting at her alma mater, Nicoelle used her love of art to help rebuild our community.
" I asked people to send me hearts the size of their hands with any fabric they had and they could write a note inside or decorate it however they wanted to and the idea was just to spread love," said Nicoelle.
The result was the Healing Hearts Project Part 2. It showcases over 900 hearts and its message of love has touched South Florida and beyond. it’s based on the original healing hearts project by Nicoelle’s friend June Ahrens, which honored the victims of 9/11, and Nicoelle still gets emotional when she thinks about what happened at Douglas.
" I think it's really just heartbreaking to think, you know the hallways and you could just imagine it."
The hearts have come from people in South Florida, California, Vermont and even Tanzania. Some have been created by MSD alumni, and some even came from the Colorado school for deaf and blind.
"Most of the people who have made hearts keep telling me how healing it has been for them, I think mainly it's just the idea that something so small can come together and make people like happy."
Nicoelle showcased the healing hearts project at the March For Our Lives at Douglas, the Actions For Change Festival in Parkland, the Sacred Treehouse in Delray and around the country, and she’s heading to Vegas this month with 58 hearts, to honor the 58 victims of the Las Vegas concert shooting last year.
