"Stop The Hate": Sand Springs Tattoo Parlor Helps More Than 100 People Cover Tattoos

A Sand Springs tattoo parlor offered a chance for people to get their racist or gang related tattoos covered up for free on Tuesday.

The Parlour Hair and Ink brought all of the tools they needed from their shop, to the Case Community Center, so they could have room to help more people.

Chris Adams said the tattoo he got Tuesday was his first tattoo outside of prison. He got a new tattoo to cover the one on his hand.

"It's not who I am anymore. I've matured. I've been out almost 10 years. I have a family,” Adams said.

He said covering his old tattoo has been on his mind for a long time. The 6th annual "Stop the Hate in the 918" event was the perfect chance to do it.

"People question my daughter, 'Is your dad a racist? Is your dad a thug? Is he a gang member?' It's gotta go,” Adams said.

"I was at a party when I was 16 years old,” Ron Wallace said. "After he did it, he's like, 'There, now you're like one of my brothers.' Like, ah, cool, it's great."

About a year later, he said he learned his tattoo represented the Aryan Brotherhood, a white supremacist prison gang.

Tuesday, he covered up the tattoo he's had for nearly 40 years.

"Probably am gonna look at it in the mirror almost every day. Something that I never would do before,” Wallace said.

With six tattoo artists on standby, The Parlour owner Jamy Magee said they were able to help more than 100 people.

"I've been a different person for a long time. And I'm not gonna be afraid anymore. I'm not gonna have embarrassment,” Wallace said.

They're proving even something permanent can be turned into something positive.