Arielle Lipan

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

It was reminding myself to trust my gut. An artist in New York (@the_littl_art_monster) posted a bunch of unclaimed flash, and I couldn’t stop thinking about one piece despite it being different from my usual style. I was in a transition period where I was near the end of a year-long contract with a humanitarian org, and I wasn’t sure what to do next. But I knew I liked that flash. We placed the stencil and it curved perfectly around first tattoo I ever got.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

“You’re not alone.” When I am feeling particularly good or hopeful about some aspect of my life, that’s when I usually get a tattoo. The resulting art is collaborative in some way, shape, or form. At the very least each piece is a reminder that I am part of a community (even if it’s one as broad as tattoo-enthusiasts). When I find my mind heading down a dark road, I have these beautiful reminders of the light in life and the people that can help me amplify it.

What would you do with the $25,000?

The main goal would be to start my own international non profit in the next 5 years. The 25k would be a life-changing initial investment toward that dream. I’m so grateful to be working in tenant defense law right now, but honestly if money wasn’t an issue I’d be back advocating in the international human rights space like I did in law school and during my last fellowship.