Since early 2024, the Southwest Organizing Project’s (SWOP) Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) team has been offering laser tattoo removal events led by Outreach Worker Daniel Malave. These events have quickly become a powerful pathway for people seeking a fresh start—especially those who want to leave behind symbols of their past affiliations.

For many participants, tattoos can represent a chapter of life they no longer identify with. By providing a low-cost and accessible way to remove them, CP4P is giving people the chance to move forward with confidence as they pursue self-improvement and new opportunities.

One participant, who attended multiple sessions of the tattoo removal process, shared how transformative the experience has been: “I feel safer now, like I’ve been given a new lease on life. Having those tattoos removed has really changed my quality of life. I’m just happy I had the chance to do this and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful.”

The tattoo removal events were first introduced through a capstone project by Malave, who saw a gap in resources for people trying to move on from street organization life. For him, the work is about dignity and possibility. “Everyone deserves the chance to fully walk away from their previous lives and pursue happiness—not only for themselves, but also for their families,” Malave said.

Through these events, CP4P continues to show how addressing violence requires more than intervention on the streets—it also means creating pathways for people to rebuild their lives on their own terms.

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