Michelle Batista

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My latest is a DNA strand with cherry blossoms a tribute to life’s beauty and fragility. Four simple letters create everything we are. The blossoms remind me how fleeting life can be, yet how deeply rooted and interconnected it is. It’s a daily reminder that even in life’s complexity, there’s softness, strength, and wonder woven into our very being.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

My ink would say she’s seen darkness but fought through it and still believes in life’s beauty, even when it hurts. It tells the story of a 911 NYC EMT who found the strength to finish her biology degree this May. My tattoos speak to the truth that we all break, we all heal, and we’re never truly alone. They’re a symbol of the strength I found in myself and the strength I now give to others when they need it most.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I’ve been a 911 EMT for 4 years, including through COVID. I’ve seen life at its most fragile, and I want to keep helping. I’d use the $25K for nursing school to show up in even bigger ways. I’ve fought my own battles with darkness, and choosing life changed me. Now I want to be the kind of nurse who reminds others that even in their worst moments, they’re not alone.