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Wright has seen firsthand the impact visual
markings can have on individuals reintegrating into
day-to-day life after a period of incarceration or abuse.
From interviews with employers to landlords to service
providers, the process can be a radical change for folks
accustomed to being perceived negatively. There are
also the self-limiting behaviours often tied to tattoos
and scars, even when they aren’t visible to anyone else.
“Having a gang tattoo in particular is symbolic of a
specific type of lifestyle that is very traumatic,” Wright
says. “It really impacts people’s self-esteem and ability
to move forward because every day you’re confronted
with this reminder of things that you’re trying to
possibly move away from.”
The ability to remove tattoos is just one of a few
features that makes the enCompass program unique.
The program also allows participants to work with a
tattoo artist to design cover-up tattoos, which may be a
better option for those looking to cover markings from
abuse, trafficking, self-harm or other traumas.
While cover-ups are facilitated by a handful of
tattoo artists that have partnered with enCompass, as
of now, the removal process occurs entirely through
Legacy Tattoo Removal. The business — which is
actually located inside of a tattoo studio — has been
offering its own pro bono tattoo removals since it
opened in 2023. The program’s history goes back even
further, though; Legacy co-owner Madi Rawson got
her start working under the guidance of Ben Alway at
Second Skin Tattoo Removal, who also offered free
laser removal for individuals with antisocial tattoos, as
well as track marks and radiation spots. And although
Alway passed away in 2023, his mission has been
carried on at Legacy and now expanded with the help
of enCompass.
“People are just so grateful that they don’t have
signs of hate on their body that they don’t associate
with anymore,” Rawson says. “It’s really empowering to
be able to even see a client who comes in with ashamed
body language — sometimes they don’t even want
to show me the tattoos — and then, over a series of
months or years, to see them really come into their
own where they’re feeling like themselves again.”
Rawson often gets to build relationships with
individuals over the several sessions that might be
required to fully remove a tattoo. It’s a process that
can take anywhere from several months to a few
years — laser removal works by breaking up the tattoo
ink into smaller pieces that are slowly digested by the
body — and cost thousands of dollars. But thanks to the
support of Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF),
enCompass and Legacy expect to serve dozens of
participants over the lifetime of the $15,000 grant.
18 Together we thrive
“This program is a powerful example of how modest
support can have a deep, long-term impact,” says Sherilyn
Trompetter, ECF’s Manager, Equity Advancement.
“By reducing barriers like visible tattoos tied to past
experiences, we’re helping people reclaim their identities
and build confidence as they move forward — and that’s
exactly the kind of change we want to support.”
Wright and Rawson are also thinking big, with their
eyes set on offering mobile tattoo removal services for
individuals who are still incarcerated. It’s the kind of head
start that can accelerate the reintegration process, and it
only hurts about as much as a hot elastic against the skin.
“This program is not just about the tattoo cover-ups
or the removal process. It’s about the life skills aspect too,”
Wright says. “We’re trying to get you to a place where you’re
able to get that job that you want. Or you’re able to go back
to school and feel confident in the classroom. Or you’re able
to approach that landlord and not feel that they’re going to
discriminate against you and deny you housing.
“We want people to be well, and we want people to have
the tools and resources available that they need to get where
they want to go in life.”