White Whale Tattoo Guatemala Trip
Donation protected
White Whale Tattoo and friends will be embarking on a humanitarian trip to Guatemala in January 2017 and we need your help!
The owner of White Whale Tattoo, Jeremiah Griswold, was living in Guatemala in 2007 when he began apprenticing under one of the world's finest tattooers. In Guatemala he had been working in gang prisons and in schools in the largest urban slum in Central America called La Limonada. The apprenticeship in Guatemala started when he helped to create cover-up tattoos for former gang members who were leaving the gang lifestyle. Since then it has been Jeremiah's dream to return to Guatemala with a crew of talented friends to continue the work of covering up gang tattoos and serving in the schools in La Limonada that exist to prevent gang recruitment. It is with great anticipation that all five staff members of White Whale will make the journey along with some other talented friends to do this life changing work of cover-up tattoos, bring soccer equipment to the school kids, and more.
The soccer field in the village of La Limonada is where the children go directly after school, however it is simply a large dirt field with rocks and glass, makeshift goals, and often a wadded up paper soccer ball. Imagine the thrill when the children will get to play with a professional soccer player with new equipment and gear donated by you!
In Guatemala, many young people joined gangs as a way to survive after their families were destroyed by civil war. For individuals trying to leave the gang lifestyle, it is liberating and often life-saving to cover up their tattoo. It is quite an incredible experience to see an old gang or prison tattoo covered by a work of art. Your donations will help us take five artists to do the cover-up work, and even allow us to make the school teachers smile, who make less than $100 a month but would love to have a lovely work of art they could not otherwise afford.
This trip is only possible with the generosity of our friends and family. Thank you so much for being a part of this with your gifts! All of the funds will provide the transportation, lodging, food, and supplies for the work in the gang rehab and schools in Guatemala.
*If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation towards this trip, you may do so by donating to the organization that is hosting us on the trip, Center for Transforming Mission, by clicking the following link and designating it to the "White Whale/ FCC Guatemala Trip" : Tax Deductible Donation
*If you have further questions or interest in supporting this trip, please do not hesitate to reach out to us using the email form on our website at www.whitewhaletattoo.com.
In addition to giving to this campaign, on October 8th from 10am-8pm White Whale Tattoo will host a Flash Day to help raise money for the trip. All tattoos will be first come, first serve. All four White Whale artists will have a selection of flash to choose from that will be previewed in the weeks ahead on the White Whale Instagram and Facebook pages. Artists will also entertain other walk in ideas that day at their own discretion. 100% of the proceeds from Flash Day will help cover the trip expenses and supplies, so your tattoo will make a difference!
You can check out the trailer for the film Reparando, which stars some of the people we will be working with in Guatemala, here:
School teachers in the soccer field, La Limonada
Children in La Limonada
La Limonada, Guatemala
Jeremiah in 2007 with author Ron Ruthruff, the late Italo Castro, and street kids in Guatemala who live near the garbage dumps.
Jeremiah Griswold tattooing.
The owner of White Whale Tattoo, Jeremiah Griswold, was living in Guatemala in 2007 when he began apprenticing under one of the world's finest tattooers. In Guatemala he had been working in gang prisons and in schools in the largest urban slum in Central America called La Limonada. The apprenticeship in Guatemala started when he helped to create cover-up tattoos for former gang members who were leaving the gang lifestyle. Since then it has been Jeremiah's dream to return to Guatemala with a crew of talented friends to continue the work of covering up gang tattoos and serving in the schools in La Limonada that exist to prevent gang recruitment. It is with great anticipation that all five staff members of White Whale will make the journey along with some other talented friends to do this life changing work of cover-up tattoos, bring soccer equipment to the school kids, and more.
The soccer field in the village of La Limonada is where the children go directly after school, however it is simply a large dirt field with rocks and glass, makeshift goals, and often a wadded up paper soccer ball. Imagine the thrill when the children will get to play with a professional soccer player with new equipment and gear donated by you!
In Guatemala, many young people joined gangs as a way to survive after their families were destroyed by civil war. For individuals trying to leave the gang lifestyle, it is liberating and often life-saving to cover up their tattoo. It is quite an incredible experience to see an old gang or prison tattoo covered by a work of art. Your donations will help us take five artists to do the cover-up work, and even allow us to make the school teachers smile, who make less than $100 a month but would love to have a lovely work of art they could not otherwise afford.
This trip is only possible with the generosity of our friends and family. Thank you so much for being a part of this with your gifts! All of the funds will provide the transportation, lodging, food, and supplies for the work in the gang rehab and schools in Guatemala.
*If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation towards this trip, you may do so by donating to the organization that is hosting us on the trip, Center for Transforming Mission, by clicking the following link and designating it to the "White Whale/ FCC Guatemala Trip" : Tax Deductible Donation
*If you have further questions or interest in supporting this trip, please do not hesitate to reach out to us using the email form on our website at www.whitewhaletattoo.com.
In addition to giving to this campaign, on October 8th from 10am-8pm White Whale Tattoo will host a Flash Day to help raise money for the trip. All tattoos will be first come, first serve. All four White Whale artists will have a selection of flash to choose from that will be previewed in the weeks ahead on the White Whale Instagram and Facebook pages. Artists will also entertain other walk in ideas that day at their own discretion. 100% of the proceeds from Flash Day will help cover the trip expenses and supplies, so your tattoo will make a difference!
You can check out the trailer for the film Reparando, which stars some of the people we will be working with in Guatemala, here:
School teachers in the soccer field, La Limonada
Children in La Limonada
La Limonada, Guatemala
Jeremiah in 2007 with author Ron Ruthruff, the late Italo Castro, and street kids in Guatemala who live near the garbage dumps.
Jeremiah Griswold tattooing.
Organizer
Jeremiah Griswold
Organizer
Cincinnati, OH
