Joshua Sivila

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My Sacred Heart piece, pierced by Filipino swords and my father’s chief knife, honors my roots and my journey through faith and identity. From Catholic to atheist to spiritual, from rejecting my culture to embracing both my Filipino and American sides—I’ve fought to become whole. It’s my Memento Mori; a symbol of sacrifice, struggle, and self-acceptance.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

It would say I’m shaped by the challenges that made me who I am. It would tell the story of its origin—done in one session from 1 PM to 7 AM in downtown LA—as a mark of my perseverance. It would speak to the battles I’ve fought—through depression, anxiety, and the struggle to find my identity. My tattoo would remind me, and tell others, who I am.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I’d invest in my future—finish my sleeves, help my girlfriend get her first tattoo, pay off debt, continue my fashion education, and support my dad through his battle with cancer. I’d finally launch my fashion brand. I want to spark change—challenging the world to embrace the bold, the different, and the unapologetic, while inspiring avant-garde spirits everywhere.