Project Network honors Nathan Nickerson at art dedication event
Family, friends, staff, and community members gathered at Project Network to dedicate an art installation in honor of Nathan Welcom Nickerson, a trailblazer in the history of mental health care in Portland.
Artist Kayin Davis’s installation “The Gift” presents the image of a kneeling woman face-to-face with a young girl, handing her a flower ready for planting. "I wanted to really have a sense of rebirth, a sense of a new beginning," Davis said. "A change in ourselves plants a seed in the next generation."
When the Nickerson Adolescent Day Treatment program, originally named after Mr. Nickerson, closed its doors in 2020, LifeWorks NW remained committed to honoring his legacy once again.
"We commissioned a piece of art in his honor," said Mary Monnat, President and CEO, in her opening remarks. "It will be a lasting tribute."
A mental health pioneer and champion
"Mr. Nickerson just connected people. He was the thread that bound everybody together," said Michelle Harper, member of the LifeWorks NW Board of Directors. "Today, we tell his story so that generations will know that he laid that foundation."
"My grandfather was a multi-faceted man," said Veronica Holland (pictured above), his granddaughter, who spoke at the event. "He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and a mentor. He was a pillar in the Portland community."
Many remember Mr. Nickerson for his lifetime of service. He was the first African American Recreation Director for the Knott Street Community Center (now Matt Dishmann Community Center). He then went on to serve as Deputy then Interim Director of the Urban League of Portland, before becoming the Executive Director of the Center for Community Mental Health, now the LifeWorks NW King site.
"My grandfather was a multifaceted man," said Veronica Holland (pictured above), his granddaughter, who spoke at the event. "He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and a mentor. He was a pillar in the Portland community."
‘Opening up that lane’ to talk about mental health
"In the African American community, it’s often taboo to talk about mental health," said Holland. "He helped facilitate opening up that lane — to know that it’s okay to talk about these issues. Because even though we may be very resilient and strong, sometimes we need help, and it’s okay to ask for help."
Mr. Nickerson passed away in 2007, and is remembered as as a father figure to many. Several members of the Nickerson family, including his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren attended the event. Project Network graduates and others stepped forward to acknowledge the lasting impact Mr. Nickerson continues to have on the entire community.
A plaque honoring Mr. Nickerson now hangs in the lobby of the LifeWorks NW King site so that all who walk through its doors can learn more about his impact.
"One of the most important things we can do with our life is not just strive to take what we can from this earth, but to give back, to make a difference," Holland said.
"I would encourage each of us to do as Nathan Welcom Nickerson did and to leave an imprint, to leave a footprint, to leave a legacy of a job well done."
Photo credits: Andrea Kerr
1) Victoria Holland, granddaughter of Nathan Nickerson, speaks at the art dedication event on September 24, 2025.
2) Paul Weatheroy, LifeWorks NW Board Member, speaks to guests standing in front of "The Gift" in the Project Network courtyard at the Nickerson dedication event.
3) The Nickerson plaque hangs in the lobby at the LifeWorks NW King site.
