Zahra Waliji

Lioness, owl, butterfly, flower, rose—my story of strength, growth, and love. At the center of it all: my mother, my lifeline.

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You decide who will appear in Inked Magazine and take home $25,000!

The first cut is on Thursday the 15th of May at 7PM PDT

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What inspired your most recent tattoo?

I got this tattoo to tell the story of my survival. The lioness stands for the strength and resilience that kept me alive. The owl is my wisdom—earned through pain. The butterfly marks my rebirth and growth after trauma. The flower captures both beauty and struggle, and the rose is my birth flower—reminding me I was born to rise. Every symbol reflects the battle I’ve fought to become the woman I am today.

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

She survived when she wasn’t meant to. She rose from pain with power, from silence with wisdom. She transformed, she grew, she roared—and she never stopped choosing life.

What would you do with the $25,000?

With $25,000, I’ll turn my story into art—each tattoo a symbol of survival and strength. After years in hospitals and surgeries, I want to breathe, laugh, and heal. I’ll invest in my mental health to build the strongest mind possible. And I’ll help my mother build a school for the visually impaired in Tanzania—a legacy of hope and purpose.

Vote for Zahra Waliji to be the Inked Original while supporting a great cause! Cast your daily vote below, or make a tax-deductible donation to help provide financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer.


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YOUR INK, YOUR STORY

Body art deserves to be shown off.