Russ Smith

What inspired your most recent tattoo?

I was inspired by a truth that almost slipped away. My great-grandfather once crossed the Irish mafia in New York, and to protect his family, he erased our real last name — Hughes — and became a Smith. Growing up, I carried that borrowed name, but deep down, I always felt the real one calling to me. This tattoo — a family crest tied to our true bloodline — is my way of honoring the risks he took, and reclaiming the identity we were forced to hide. It's a symbol of surviva

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

They tried to erase you. They tried to bury your name, your blood, your story — but they failed. You are Hughes. You are survival stitched into skin and bone. You wear the strength of the ones who ran, the ones who fought, the ones who refused to disappear. You’re not here to blend in anymore. You’re here to be seen, to carry the truth they couldn’t kill. This crest is your armor. This ink is your battle cry. Never forget. Never back down. Legacy runs deeper than fear.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would use the $25,000 to bring the Hughes name — my family’s real name — back into the light. Part would fund a trip to Ireland, to stand on the soil my great-grandfather fled to protect us. The rest would help build something lasting under the Hughes name — a project that preserves lost stories and honors hidden legacies. For me, winning isn’t about the prize. It’s about reclaiming pride, telling the truth, and making sure our real story is never forgotten.