Amanda Sorensen

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

I endured sexual abuse as a child, more than once, and more than anyone should. For years, I carried the silence. Medusa, to me, is not a monster—she’s a mirror. My tattoo is part of my healing, a way to reclaim power, protect the wounded child I was, and speak the truth I was once forced to swallow.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

I am not a victim—I am a warning. I protect the hurt, the abused, the unheard. I am the rage born of survival, my lips laced with venom. My gaze is a curse, my silence is loud, and my power is mine alone. There is nothing you can do to hurt me.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I'd spend some time clubbing in Warsaw with my husband. Traveling abroad is the best thing I've ever done for myself. It cracked me open, let me heal, and helped me see the world with softer eyes. I'd give two-thirds to two women who never had generational wealth, hopefully giving them a leg up. The rest will be donated to NPR/PBS. Independent news is essential, especially now in our current political climate.