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Posted on 01/27/2005 12:50:51 PM PST by Dashing Dasher
Kelly Namowicz has a plan for the rest of her life.
"I want to go the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco," she says. "I want to be a professional chef."
But until now, there were 14 things standing in her way: tattoos that once almost covered her hands and arms, forcing her to wear long sleeves to job interviews to avoid being stigmatized.
"People judge you," Namowicz says. "People don't want to admit it, but it happens."
Now, the tattoos are almost gone, thanks to a city program called Clean Slate. It pays for laser treatments that erase the tattoos, and help wipe away the past. Namowicz says her kids helped her decide to do it.
"I want to be that positive role model for them," she says.
Now in its tenth year, Clean Slate is targeted at helping young people turn their lives around.
"You've got to be 14 to 25, live in San Jose, and you have to have gang-related tattoos in the exposed parts of the body," said project coordinator Juan Avila. "That's hands, neck, wrist, face, arms."
That made Victor Guizar a prime candidate. Just 24 years old, Victor has been incarcerated for a third of his life -- beginning at age 13. He has tattoos on his arms, chest, neck, and head. He even shows us some in his mouth. Most of his tattoos he got behind bars, and almost all are gang related. But he's leaving that life behind because most of his friends are drug addicts, in prison, or dead.
"I told my homies, 'My life is going to be different now,'" he says. "They said, 'We've been waiting for that.'"
The procedure just takes a few minutes. It stings, and leaves a mark like a sunburn that eventually wears off. But people like Victor Guizar say it's a small price to pay for starting over.
I was strictly talking kids. You got to give dumb kids a break if possible and a tattoo should be the worst of their offenses.
Also, wouldn't you rather a dermatologist get some practice on prisoners?
And here we are. Naturally, it starts in that s$%tpot San Jose - the alleged "city" with a public-park statue of a dog turd.
That's awesome. Your mother is the kind of person who these programs are supposed to be for and who truly need and deserve them. Unfortunately, I think your mother is one of the rare ones who do not take advantage.
BTW, she is fortunate that you have learned from her example, and return to her what she sacrificed for you.
Actually the lesson they learn from this is: Vote for Democrats and you never have to grow up or pay the price for your own decisions.
I'm seriously considering getting a tattoo when I turn 30 next year, but I'm not sure what it would be.
Why should our taxes pay for this? Aren't there any rich do gooders in Hollyweird to pick up the tab?
Sick would be a better word.
This is an expensive benny. Dermatologists charge $$$ for laser tat removal from "normal" non-gang people.
This from a forum I googled up:
"well i have 6 tattoos being removed and i go every 6 weeks. i pay 200 a docter visit and the price of the laser varies depending on how many pulses. for instance the first time i went i had 987 pulses and it cost 783 plus 200 for the docter visit. i just finished my sixth treatment and each tatto has faded differently. luckly i have all black ink being removed.. i would say that i will need about 15 more treatments to have them totally gone which means i will be spending around 10,000 to get them totally off. if this is any help or you need some more answers feel free to email me at ******@***.com and i can assist anyone with any questions thanks"
And the gangbangers are getting this for free when this poor yutz is spending ten grand.
More at
http://www.faqs.org/qa/qa-12393.html
"I'm stupid" would be truth in advertising. Be creative; have it done in Chinese.
Meanwhile Canada goes in the complete opposite direction http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/TorontoSun/News/2005/01/27/911747-sun.html
I didn't mean to have your name in the comment...It wasn't specifically directed to you...I just forgot to delete it in the "to:" section...
Ping to post 17.
This reminds me of the recent SNL fake commerical about a product that removes lower back tattoos. Amy Pohler is seen with a lower back tatoo that says "Juicy!".
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I had a cool cabbie the other day...he was in his 50's and his tats were plum worn out into blue mush.
I got my "tats" when I was 15 and smashed my 66 Mustang into a tree...all my scars make me leary of tattoos...I'm already disfigured enough.
So, that's the proper use of tax money or not?
So, that's the proper use of tax money or not?
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