David Cortes

It began with a quiet knowing, one that’s followed me since childhood. I always felt the weight of something unspoken, like I was carrying echoes of people I had never met. My most recent tattoo was inspired by that ancestral pull. It marks the moment I realized I wasn’t just born to heal,I was sent to walk beside the brokenhearted, and to breathe life into systems that forgot how to see people. This piece is the beginning of a promise,to myself, my lineage, and the work I do in beha

“You weren’t meant to blend in. You were designed to alchemize grief into grace. I’m not just ink, I’m a compass. I remind you who you are when the world forgets. I echo the strength of every ancestor who made space for your voice, and I whisper, ‘Keep going, healing runs through you now.’”

I’d build a bridge where none existed before. With this money, I would invest and launch a wellness initiative that blends behavioral health, spiritual healing, and creative expression for underserved communities. A space where people feel seen and safe, where trauma is spoken out loud and art becomes medicine. This wouldn’t just be about me, it would be about giving others the tools to heal out loud and break their own cycles.