Jessie Saleh

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My last tattoo has a bittersweet sentiment. My ex-husband and I got "Always & Forever" marked after 10 years of marriage. When you read this, your face probably contorts in awkwardness, and mine did, too. But over time (it's been a year), we've healed and forgiven one another. Now, that quote represents what I always had in mind. I don't believe family starts and ends with blood or marriage, but with the village it takes in, building a collective bond.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

It would say, "My, how we've grown." My first piece was done when I was 21 (homage to my kiddo). Somewhere, I saw the beauty in my body as a canvas and I've taken my time to curate pieces that represent parts of my journey.

What would you do with the $25,000?

To be honest, part of it will be tuition. I am a second-year graduate student majoring in bioarchaeology with a super focus in forensic anthropology, and school is expensive. I currently work 3 jobs to afford that and rent. Secondly, I would want to finish my arm as I think it would be a perfect way to end the first part of my life and enter a new phase. I would like to begin a start-up that I have mentally been working on for persons of color in grad school, working through barriers.