‘Leave the past in the past’: Free gang tattoo removal program in Winnipeg

A Winnipeg partnership is allowing the removal of gang tattoos for free, helping former gang members move away from their ties to crime.

Writer and advocate Ryan Beardy is a leader with the Gang Action Interagency Network in Winnipeg – or GAIN – which helps people leave gang life and support them through the transition.

He says while people may have left gang life behind, a tattoo signifying membership may still be negatively perceived.

“When people have gang tattoos, it comes with a stigma, it comes with barriers associated and then when you leave that lifestyle, those barriers and stigma follow you around in society,” said Beardy. “It’s hard to reintegrate. People say do better, but we need to do better for them.

“I think it means change. I think it means new beginnings.”

The partnership, spearheaded by local artist Della Steinke and GAIN, was set to undergo an expansion prior to the pandemic, but plans were delayed.

Now, the expansion is moving ahead full-speed, and appointments can be scheduled.

“It’s not just a matter of taking it off, just for their safety, because that’s the number one reason, but it’s also them just trying to leave the past in the past,” said Steinke.

Set up at Studio 431 Tattoo and Body Piercing, former gang members who are looking to get their tattoos removed will be able to access the service free of charge. Usually, tattoo removal could cost thousands of dollars.

Steinke says she’s built lasting relationships with some of her clients, and has seen how the removal of a small tattoo can have a huge impact on someone’s life.

“Being invited to someone’s wedding. Being invited to someone’s graduation, because they finished college and stuff like that. It’s amazing,” said Steinke. “They can wake up every morning, they don’t have to look at that. It’s not a reminder of what they’ve done in the past.

“Not only is that tattoo gone, but it’s been like two, three, four years and they’ve never gotten back into the life.”

Those who are interested in trying to access the free tattoo removal service are encouraged to get in touch with GAIN to start the intake process.

Beardy wants to see this type of partnership more often.

“I think that’s the perfect microcosm of the collaboration that we need in society, to solve problems, to break barriers and perhaps this starts a new conversation about how multiple sectors of society can collaborate and do things like this,” he said.