Iron Raven Tattoo in Palmetto is doing $50 pulse-related tattoos to raise money for victims and their families in Orlando.
The hashtag, PulseTattoos, is a nationwide movement raising money for those in Orlando.
The artists at Iron Raven Tattoo joined the movement last week, and they will continue through this Saturday.
About 20 percent of each tattoo will go to the Pulse Victims Fund, which has raised almost 6 million dollars already. Iron Raven has performed about 30 pulse tattoos in less than a week.
Iron Raven has had people travel from Tampa, and even Orlando to get these tattoos because other shops are charging up to $600 for the same thing, or they aren’t participating.
“These are $50 tattoos,” Manny Lopez, a tattoo artist, said. “It is ridiculous to charge so much for that.”
Siedah Carignan, 30, saw the tattoos on Facebook and decided to come in. Carignan is bisexual, and supports the community.
“I am so glad I didn’t know anybody that was killed,” Carignan said.
Lopez, 30, tattooed a rainbow pulse, with a heart, on Carignan’s shoulder. It took no longer than 20 minutes.
Siedah Carignan’s, 30, finished Pulse tattoo from Manny Lopez at Iron Raven Tattoo. Photo by Marla Korenich
During Carignan’s session, two walk-ins came to get their pulse tattoos: Taylor Aquilina, 18, and Raven Troyer, 19. This was Troyer’s first tattoo. Troyer saw this on Facebook too and knew she wanted this to be her first tattoo.
Taylor Aquilina, 18, gets her Pulse tattoo from Orlando Socarras at Iron Raven Tattoo. Photo by Marla Korenich
Raven Troyer, 19, got this as her first tattoo. Photo by Manny Lopez
“I have a lot of friends in Orlando, and my mother is gay, so this is important,” Troyer said.
Iron Raven will also be teaming up with Old School Bar and Grill in Sarasota to have a bigger charity event for those in Orlando.