 Permanent art is way better. It's drawn on a piece of paper that can, you know, be burned in a fire and stuff like that. You're actually putting your artwork on people who are able to travel around and actually show it off. Detroit remains one of the hottest hubs in America for artists and has been for nearly a century. My name is Nega Julia. I'm a writer, photographer, creator, and Detroit local. In this series, I'll be taking you around the city and introducing you to the small business owners and entrepreneurs that help power it. This is Icons of Detroit. My name is Lori Lady Eil. I'm a tattoo artist here in Detroit, Michigan, and I'm owner of Ladies' Ink Tour. My style is detail. It doesn't matter if it's a flower, a tribal. I just love detail. I've been an entrepreneur for over 20 years. Tattoings is 15. Lori is a fine artist first. She actually has been to art school. And the first tattoo artist that she met at a party said he didn't even draw and she was shocked. Being a formally educated artist, they do not teach you about tattoos as being anything that's worth taking up as a professional career. However, at this time, I was working three jobs. I was really trying hard to take care of my daughter. So I did what I need to do. I learned by myself by getting tattooed and asking questions as artists would tattoo me. I was able to build my name during the different college campuses, during tattoo parties. I actually went to a couple strip clubs. I knew that if I could get my art on some of the dancers, then people would be able to see it and they'd probably inquire about it. The process for booking an appointment with me is first you have to go to my website and I actually have a consultation section that people fill out. They'll come in during the consultation and talk to me one-on-one about, you know, what they want. And that's when I kind of can feel people's energy. I'm really big on having good energy in my space all the time because it's really important. Depending on the style of tattoo, I might stencil it. When more than likely, I freestyle directly on a skinny. So I'll do a rough draft and a lighter pen tone like a red, pink. For final draft lines of things that I want to keep, I'll use a darker ink like black or blue. And I'll go from there. Lori isn't just tattooing in the community. She's also healing. She's told me many stories about people who come in who are dealing with mental health issues. She acts as a vessel for them to pour into. Tattoos are therapy. People love to sit down and talk to me about their days, what they're going through. That's why my clients are so loyal because I care. So, yeah, I'm booked. I'm booked. A lot of the best art is birth from struggle. Lori and a lot of the artists in Detroit that are doing amazing things right now, they've been able to push through and are now pulling other people along with them. The latest ink tour is of all black female tattoo artists tour. We travel around the United States. When I first started the tour, it was only five of us. Five years later, it's more than 20. Women make up less than 2% of the industry loan, so black women make up less than that. Every time I went to a tattoo convention or went into a tattoo shop, I just felt like I didn't belong there. There can be a lot of racism sometimes. It's actually an industry dominated by white males. I just want to create a space for women like me. Lori is shifting the paradigm of what it means to be a female tattoo artist, not only in the nation, but the city of Detroit. My city is the city of hustlers. I love it. Everybody has a way that they can make money. It's just about being able to invest, save and keep it. I am blessed to be able to do something that I'm actually good at and enjoy, and I'm making a profit and establishing things for myself and my kids. Sometimes you really have to go a little harder, especially when you have other people that are doing the same things that you're doing. You have to step out and do something differently. What are you going to do to stand out?