Tattoos once served as armor for Alpha Jalloh to protect him from the harmful circumstances of the world around him. Now, they serve as a painful reminder of the life he desperately worked hard to leave behind.
It all began in the South Bronx when Alpha was merely a teenager, trying to navigate the difficulties that his environment presented him with. The desire to succeed was always there, but it was simply a dream at that point. At just 16 years old, Alpha turned to the streets for security and comfort. This bred a life path filled with loss, destruction, and hopelessness – a point of no return for many.
Ultimately, Alpha’s lifestyle led him to serve an 8-year prison sentence for a string of bank robberies. He was soon extradited to MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield, Connecticut, which physically removed him from his gang ties in New York; but provided him with a sense of superiority amongst inmates in the new facility. While some would say this was “the end” of his life, it was actually the beginning of a fresh start that he urgently needed.
About 3 years into Alpha’s lengthy prison sentence, he received news that his father passed away. Alpha had no relationship with his father but always hoped to have one someday. After his father’s death, Alpha received the book, Makes Me Wanna Holler by Nathan McCall – a memoir that was almost identical to Alpha’s own life story. “It was like this spiritual moment…That was the inflection point for me, [and] the first day I took a step towards progress.” Alpha began spending his days reading as much as possible, a passion he once had as a kid. This newfound dedication to learning caused him to apply for the Yale Prison Education Initiative (YPEI), a program that allows inmates to pursue degrees through the University of New Haven.
Alpha ignored the gang politics and prison culture that surrounded him to focus on college. Though the curriculum was difficult, he remained dedicated to making the most of this opportunity – and that’s exactly what he did. In 2023, Alpha graduated from the program as the valedictorian of his class and finished strong with a 4.0 GPA.
One year later, Alpha was released from MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution and began his brand-new life in New Haven, Connecticut. Now, Alpha works as an employment specialist for a non-profit organization that helps formerly incarcerated, unhoused, and others find jobs and schooling.
Despite serving his time, there was one piece of Alpha’s past still following him: his face tattoos. These face tattoos not only served as a reminder of darker days, but they also prevented Alpha from feeling like he truly succeeded in escaping it all. “It’s like looking at pictures of your younger self, and [being] like ‘What was I thinking there,’” says Alpha, “but imagine doing that every single day when you look in the mirror.” He wanted his tattoos removed more than anything – not just for himself, but for the world surrounding him.
Understanding the stigmas associated with his facial tattoos, Alpha would cover them with makeup daily to maintain some sense of normalcy in society. It was deeply exhausting for only being a temporary solution to the problem, and Alpha didn’t always have access to the special makeup he would need. These daily struggles eventually led Alpha to Removery’s INK-nitiative program, a community outreach initiative to provide free tattoo removal to formerly incarcerated people and gang members. Removery anticipates Alpha will need around 11 sessions to fully remove his tattoos, with a handful of them already being completed by the end of 2024.
With the help of Removery, Alpha is excitedly looking forward to his future. He hopes to become a lawyer within the next decade and continue helping those in marginalized groups that share a similar story to his.
Tattoos can be a painful reminder of a life that we’ve left behind. Through our INK-nitiative program, we provide thousands of free removal treatments annually for those in need of erasing tattoos tied to traumatic experiences. If you think you could be eligible, apply for INK-nitiative so you can take the first steps in reclaiming your body.
Disclaimer: All INK-nitiative applicants must have a demonstrated history of exemplifying our core values (trustworthy, passionate, focused, purposeful, effective). They also must provide a recommendation letter from an official advocate to qualify for the program. After the application process, we meet with each individual applicant and determine qualifying candidates.
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CTInsider | Tattoo Removal Company Helping Former CT Gang Member Get into Yale
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