Persia White is an activist, musician, and actress-best known for her role as Lynn Searcy on the #1 Black sitcom in America, Girlfriends. She's also done several independent film projects, including Red Letters and the cult horror, Blood Dolls. The multi-racial actress also works with at-risk youths, and supports animal activist groups, PETA and the Humane Society, but her true loves are music and tattoos.
PERSIA ON HER TATTOOS: I have two magnolias. They're an homage to the South and Billy Holiday's song Strange Fruit about the lynchings which occurred there--a reminder of how beauty can come from tragedy. The black bars mark change, like marks on a tree. The other is about a negative space; how we must embrace it. We must have the balance of yin and yang. My first tattoo is the cross on my back. I was in my 20s. I had it placed on my spine opposite a chakra point. It represents my life's journey; moving forward.
PERSIA ON HOW HER TATTOOS AFFECTED HER ACTING CAREER: I have lost work over my tattoos! However, I knew the risks of being inked, especially as a woman in Hollywood, and I was willing to live with them. At the same time, the writers for Girlfriends have worked my tattoos into the script. I play an edgy character, so it works. Every season the writers ask to see my new tattoos. They have also blurred the lines a bit between the real me and my character--she's a vegan and I'm a vegan. It's pretty cool! As a celebrity with tattoos, I'm promoting tattoos--like it or not. I have a responsibility to be a good role model.
PERSIA ON HOW HER PASSION FOR MUSIC COINCIDES WITH HER ACTING CAREER: Music is my first love! I was a little worried when I first started doing Girlfriends that it might be a problem, but it hasn't been a problem at all--actually they've let me write music for the show! I've also discovered the fans are not who I thought they were. I thought they would condemn me for not doing R&B or Hip Hop, but if you go to some of their MySpace pages, you'll find Beyonce, Jay-Z and my band XE03. People all over the world have XE03 listed as one of their favorite groups! - URBAN INK Magazine
Want to find out what some of PERSIA WHITE's tattoo designs & symbols
mean?
Check out: Flower Tattoos,
Tribal,
Memorial Tattoos
