I started getting inked at 16 years old. Each tattoo represents a different era in my life capturing both the happy, sad, the good & the bad
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Enter For FreeMy most recent tattoo is a bird in flight with a nail through its body, placed on my hand. As a first-gen immigrant, it reflects my journey—the bird symbolizes freedom and growth, while the nail represents the painful, exhausting documentation process and constant obstacles. Despite everything meant to hold me down, I’m still flying. Still moving. Still free.
If your ink could speak, what would it say?I carry pain, but I am not broken. I am the story of resilience etched in skin. I speak for the moments that tried to silence me, for the borders I crossed, for the dreams they tried to cage. I may bleed, but I still rise.
What would you do with the $25,000?I would invest it in creating a space for immigrant and marginalized artists to share their stories through ink and art. A studio that’s not just for tattoos, but for healing, empowerment, and representation. I’d also use part of it to support my own journey—continuing my documentation process and building a more stable future for myself and my family. This money would help me turn pain into purpose.
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Body art deserves to be shown off.
