People find their strength in different ways, and for me, a way I've kept myself strong is by getting tattoos. My tattoos are very important to my mental health. They are how I give myself reminders, that I wouldn't normally think about or believe. I choose to leave these marks here to leave a moment of hope for myself. I don't always trust hope when it comes from other people. The self-direction and permanence of tattoos is important. I have six tattoos total and I'm going to explain the importance of all of them.

The first tattoo I have I got when I was 18 and it says "warrior" with a little cat under it. If you don't know me it's important to know that I am a huge Kesha fan and have been since 'Tik Tok'. No doubt Kesha has been one of the greatest influences of my life and she has taught me to be a warrior. When Kesha was in rehab for her eating disorder she sent me a letter, so "warrior" on my wrist and the little cat are in her handwriting. I got "warrior" tattooed to remind me to be strong when times are hard. I got the cat partly because Kesha's fans are called animals. The little cat is to remind me to smile when times are hard. Getting my first tattoo on my wrist was important because it symbolizes when I went through the worst of times and wanted to give up. Now I have warrior there and it helps me to not self harm. "Warrior" to me means being fearless, being yourself against all odds, and living your dreams without letting a single thing stop you.

Kesha has not been the only influential woman in my life, my grandmother meant so much to me and it tore me apart when she passed away. My mother and I decided to get this matching tattoo as a memory of my grandma. The cross represents the faith my grandmother had and the fact that she is in Heaven. She had a big heart, so the heart is to represent that and all the love she gave me. She was the anchor to our family and she kept us all going. This tattoo is a reminder of what an amazing woman my grandmother was.

This tattoo is probably the most important to my mental health. I attempted suicide my freshman year of college. I had a moment of weakness and acted impulsively. This tattoo is my promise to myself that I will never try to take my life away. A semicolon represents a sentence the author could have ended, but chose not to. The metaphor is that I am the author and the sentence is my life. It is a simple sign of hope and continuation, an affirmation that we have the power to power to move forward. That's why the "i" of "live" is a semicolon. My story is not over yet. Life is beautiful and filled with colon and I will continue to live and fight my depression.

April is sexual assault awareness month, so I got a teal ribbon this April next to my "L;ve" tattoo. During my freshman year of college I was sexually assaulted, and since then nothing has been done with my case. I found out that my case was suspended due to lack of evidence and the same week all of Kesha's sexual assault claims got dismissed in the New York court system. I was very emotional and felt the justice system had failed myself and those around me. However, I realized I have the voice and courage to be able to raise awareness, regardless of what the court says. I have a reason to live, and my story has only just begun. I will continue to tell my story and fight until the end.

This is for sure a more simple tattoo. It reminds me of one of my favorite sayings. "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming."

So this is my last tattoo and it's pretty simple to explain. I'm a feminist and a human rights activist. I believe in equality. After recently "coming out" I decided to get this to remind me that we are all equal.

All of my tattoos are meaningful to me and they help me cope every day. My tattoos are a reflection of who I am and what I believe in. I hope I can help or inspire people through telling the stories behind my tattoos. Everyone has a warrior inside of them even if they don't realize it