Tattoos

You would think that getting my first tattoo was a big decision for me, when actually it was done more on a dare. At least I got to pick what I wanted. 

You might be wondering what the first one was. I will tell you about this one, but the rest will come sprinkled through later writings. It was a tiger’s head with the word “achiever” under it.

After that one, I said no more because of the pain. For context, at this moment I have 23 tattoos with more to come. There is always one more. 

The reason I started getting tattoos was because it made it easier to tell my story. Most of my early tattoos address painful times in my life, and they made it easier to talk about them.

They also serve as a reminder to how I have evolved as a human being and as a leader in the disability rights movement- locally, statewide, and nationally. 

My encouragement to all of you is find a way to tell your story. It belongs to you, and no other person, agency, or organization should tell your story, only you should. I believe in you. 

Tell me how it went. The power is inside you.