After getting her first tattoo at 18, Letitia Mendes went right back into the studio after a week, dead set on making this their career. Now 27, Mendes is the founder of one of the country’s few queer-owned tattoo studios, PulsatInk. Situated in the bustling lanes of Janki Kutir, Juhu, its mission is to create a safe space for people of all identities, as well as a community for open-minded and creative people.

The studio is “pro-identity”, which for Mendes means, “Whatever you identify as, we stand by it, no matter what. We never question who you are, we help you answer it with Ink.” they add, “I am a non-binary person. Self-expression is a huge part of who I am, and that’s what my brand stands for as well.”