Youths
erase past
By Mike Sundberg
On-line Forty-Niner
A
local community program is lending a hand
to Long Beach residents who would like to
leave the not-so-permanent-anymore marks
of their past behind.
Known as Erase the Past, this non-profit
program was established in 1995 by Bryna
Kane and partner, Edward Glassberg. Through
Erase the Past, young people are given the
opportunity to exchange free tattoo removals
for community service.
Many young people who choose to leave a
particular lifestyle behind are still left
with a tattoo that constantly reminds them
of the life they want to forget. A visible
tattoo is an obstacle that may decrease
chances of returning to mainstream life
and finding employment.
Not only is it difficult for them to obtain
employment opportunities because of a particular
tattoo, but for many of these people the
process of laser tattoo removal is far too
costly.
Daniel Marquez, coordinator of the Erase
the Past Program at the Youth Opportunity
Center in Long Beach, states that the program
“helps to reduce the stigma of a tattoo.”
Every six to eight months medical doctors
volunteer their time and money at Long Beach
Memorial Hospital to treat young men and
women in the program, Marquez said. The
only payment the doctors ask for is that
the patients partake in five hours of community
service, as well as continue to lead a gang-free
life.
“The [Erase the Past] program helped me
to feel more comfortable with myself,” Joylynn
Johnson, who participated in the program,
said. Johnson had tattoos removed from her
back because she worked with a group of
high school dancers and wanted to set a
good example.
The only disadvantage of the program is
that not enough people know about it. The
Youth Opportunity Center is one of seven
consultants for the program and receives
about 30 participants a year.
“There are probably many more people out
there in need of the program,” Marquez said.
In order to participate in the program applicants
must live in Long Beach, be between 14 and
25 years of age, be actively involved in
school, work, or seeking a job, and have
no record of recent gang activity.
Once five hours of community service have
been completed, those involved in the program
can make an appointment to have their tattoo
removed.
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