Booooooom: Here's the story behind my tattoos

Monday, May 23, 2022

Here's the story behind my tattoos

Hey Jason, it's John.

We both know I don't look like a typical politician. Maybe that's why my tattoos are *literally* the first thing people Google about me.

Well enough Googling. Today I'll tell you about my tattoos myself.

On my left arm I have the zip code 15104. That's Braddock, Pennsylvania, my home and the community I was honored to serve as mayor for 13 years. Gisele and I are raising our kids here in Braddock, right across the street from Andrew Carnegie's first steel mill.

On my right arm I have nine different dates. These are the dates when people were killed through violence in Braddock while I served as Mayor, starting in 2006. Seven out of nine were gun deaths. I actually have to get one more date added because in June of 2018, there was another tragic loss of life. My heart breaks every time I'm reminded of that.

My first tattoo came after January 16, 2006. It was my second week on the job as mayor after winning my election by a single vote. I received a call and was summoned to a police crime scene where a pizza delivery man had been robbed and killed by gun violence.

Every time Braddock lost someone was the worst feeling in the world, Jason.

In a close-knit community like Braddock, it's very likely that you know the victim and their family. It's an incredibly wrenching and personal experience as a mayor — but nothing compared to what the families have to go through.

In my 13 years as mayor, I worked with the community to take on gun violence and other important issues that Braddock faced every day. I helped initiate youth + art programs for the students of our community and we worked together to create a community center.

We also worked to develop buildings that had been written off, kick-started our economy, and reduced deadly violence. My proudest moment as mayor of Braddock is when our community went 5 ½ years without the loss of life due to gun violence.

Jason, I'm running for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania because I believe *every* community is worth fighting for. Just like Braddock.

It is my promise to you that I'll fight for you + your community as if it were my very own.

That promise is written on my arms. Literally. ❤️

In order to build the kind of Democratic U.S. Senate campaign that can flip Pennsylvania blue + fight for every community, however, the honest truth is that we need to raise a lot of money right now. A big part of that is online activists like you chipping in when you can.

And now that I am *officially* the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, the team and I could *really* use everyone's help right now.

So, I gotta ask:

Will you please chip in $10 or more split to our campaign and Dirt Road PAC right now, Jason? Every dollar helps send me to the U.S. Senate where I'll fight like hell for your community just like I fight for mine.

If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation to Dirt Road PAC and John Fetterman will go through immediately:

Thanks for all you do. Together, I *know* we can win this.

Let's gooooo. 🔥