Olivia Delue

I was 19. My late ex picked it out for me. It was spontaneous moment. Days before moving into our first apartment, we were young, and full of love. At the time, I didn’t know what it would come to mean—but now it’s a piece of him that will always be with me. I haven’t gotten another tattoo since, because nothing has ever felt as real, or as permanent, as that moment.

If my tattoos could talk, they wouldn’t apologize. They’d whisper the names of people I’ve lost, scream the choices I made when I was young and smile at the memories I’ve kept alive through ink. People told me I’d regret them—but regret is forgetting, They're stories I carry, and pieces of who I was, who I loved, and who I’m still becoming.

If I had $25,000, I’d donate $5,000 to cancer research. After losing my aunt to cancer and seeing my mom beat it, I wouldn’t want anything more than to change someone’s life. The rest would go toward launching an education platform for school county’s to use. I hope my plan can make communication, grades, schedules and supplies more accessible and encourage parents to be involved with their child’s education.