Jermiah swetland

What inspired your most recent tattoo?

I didn’t get my angel wings on my back cause I was looking for beauty. I got them because I earned them. They are my silent anthem. They tell a story of transformation. Of a soul that walked through fire and came out with feathers made of faith, grit, and grace. Reminds that even when life knocked you down, you rose. Reminds me that my scars—seen and unseen—gave me depth, not weakness.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

We are the scars you chose to wear on the outside. We watched you crawl, bleed, scream—and still rise. We are proof that your pain wasn’t the end, but the beginning. A story inked in survival, in defiance. You didn’t break. You became.

What would you do with the $25,000?

This prize would be more than just money—it would be a foundation. I would use it to build something real: invest in a small business that reflects who I am today, not who I was. Whether it’s opening a shop, learning a trade, or supporting others. I want to create something that gives back. I’ve changed my life. I’ve walked through fire, and now I wear that fire on my skin as art—a reminder.