Samantha julian

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My most recent tattoo is an octopus on my shoulder and collarbone. I chose it because the octopus symbolizes intelligence, adaptability, and resilience. No matter what trap it’s caught in, it finds a way out — just like I do. It reminds me that every problem has a solution, even if you have to get creative or slip through the unexpected.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

If my tattoos could speak, they’d whisper: ‘She carries the weight of ancient storms and the fire of futures not yet written. Each line etched into her skin is a vow — to never bow, to never break, and to build herself from the ruins. She is living proof that even in the dark, something stronger, wilder, and more sacred can rise.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Winning $25K would help me break cycles and build the life my family deserves. As a mother of three and caretaker for my father, I’ve spent years surviving — this would finally allow me to breathe, clear debt, create a true home, and show my children that we are not defined by what we survive, but by what we rise to build.