Student uses tattoo art to raise funds and awareness of humanitarian crisis.
After two years of doomscrolling through images of devastation caused by Israel’s military campaign in Gaza Strip, Ariana Marquez felt she had to do something to support relief efforts. Confronted with a constant stream of bloodied bodies and burned-out buildings, she put down her phone and picked up her tattoo gun.
The CSUDH fine arts student is now using her craft to turn empathy into action.
Working out of her bedroom, which she has turned into a small studio, Marquez launched a flash tattoo fundraiser to support Human Appeal USA, an international humanitarian nonprofit. The designs she creates are more than art on skin, Marquez told The Bulletin, they are gestures of solidarity with Palestinians living under bombardment.
“It’s like a real surreal and sick time to be in, where you can just be on your phone and see literal genocide,” Marquez said. “But using art in that sort of way, I think is very healing for a lot of people because it causes connection and awareness for the cause.”
Marquez first learned about Human Appeal USA through a friend and was drawn to its direct support for families in Gaza. Founded in 1991, the nonprofit provides emergency relief, food, water, and shelter to people affected by conflict.
Her limited-edition tattoo flash sheet, featuring designs like olive branches and traditional Palestinian patterns called tatreez, embodies themes of unity and resilience. Marquez donates 70% of proceeds to Human Appeal USA. She has raised more than $100 to date and plans to continue tattooing for charity as long as there is interest.
“I also wanted to give people a symbol of solidarity that they could keep forever,” Marquez explained. “I think it’s important that if you’re an artist, you should be able to use your practice in order to advocate for causes and people in need and things bigger than you.”
Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed at least 67,000 Palestinians since the military launched its offensive following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. Over the past two years, the violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and international aid groups—including the United Nations World Food Programme—have determined that famine is already taking hold across Gaza.
“I think a lot of people who are aware of what’s happening have been kind of anxious to do something,” said Jack, a CSUDH graduate student who asked to be identified by first name only for privacy reasons. “Being able to contribute to something while also having it on you is something that would mean a lot to me.”
Jack said they found Marquez’s flyer on a campus bulletin board and was immediately curious. Out of the five designs, Jack chose one resembling a Talavera tile, a pattern often seen in Latin American art. To them, it symbolized home, heritage, and solidarity.
“It looked really nice, and it reminded me of something, like, in my culture,” Jack said. “A talavera tile is like a home.”
For Jack, getting the tattoo was about more than the design—it was a way to express their values in a lasting way.
“It doesn’t give me satisfaction, like a little check mark,” Jack said. “I think this is just a part of something that I’m gonna continue wanting to do. If there was another chance for something else that I can do, I would definitely do it.”
Though Marquez is new to organizing fundraisers, this isn’t her first attempt to merge art and activism. In 2020, she created prints to support the Black Lives Matter movement. The pieces didn’t sell, but she never lost sight of the idea that creativity can be a form of care.
“I think [art] can be a really good disrupter,” Marquez said. “I think any art that serves as value disrupts in some sort of way. It’s intention. People pay attention to intention and someone with authenticity and has something of value to say.”
The tattoo, added to Jack’s growing collection, serves as more than decoration—it’s a statement meant to spark dialogue and awareness.
“It provides a story to tell and really kind of starts a conversation on what this tattoo means and what it is that it is saying,” Jack said. “It’s not only beautiful, but I feel like it is a conversation that needs to be had more openly.”
That ripple effect—a design sparking dialogue, empathy, and awareness—is exactly what Marquez hopes to create. For her, each tattoo is a bridge between art and action, a small act of resistance that turns creativity into care. She said her goal isn’t only to raise money but to inspire others to take even small steps toward change.
“Even just raising awareness and talking about it, it can be as small as that—it doesn’t have to be a huge project,” Marquez encouraged. “Just knowing that you can exercise your authority as someone that wants better for the world and people in need.”