Alona Crigger

The most recent tattoo’s include the Star of David on my middle finger (because fuck antisemitism), and my fiancés initials on my right wrist. I sobbed while I got both tattoos at once. My fiancé has been my biggest supporter through the loss of my ten year friendship. It was a surprise to learn my best friend of a decade came to the conclusion I did not have a “moral compass” for having different values and beliefs. The antisemetic rhetoric was disturbing.

My Tattoos all have special meanings. The first tattoo I ever got tells a story about loss and suicide awareness. I have my lyrics placed on top of the picture. Many of my other tattoos reference letting go and rising above adversity. I have a target on my back with a rainbow EKG that goes flat representing suicide in the gay community. The famous Taylor Swift song “Anti-Hero” is tattooed on my body. Most importantly, my tattoos represent that I am unapologetically myself.

With 25,000 I would split this money into the two different things that I love. I am a mental health therapist (LMHC) and want to create a private practice that serves the LGBTQIA+ population. My goal is to provide affordable care, while I continue to implement music into the therapeutic setting. I am a singer songwriter. My stage name is Alona Rivka (on Spotify). I have written music about advocacy and mental health for the last decade. Music is apart of both my career, and personal life.