Yaritza Rollan (05/28/1993-12/28/2019) was a young and talented tattoo artist, painter, ceramics sculptor, illustrator, muralist, and cosmetologist. She spent her short life creating art. Right after high school, she took part in local gallery shows and worked hard to get into a tattoo apprenticeship on her own. She began building what would have been a bright career in the arts.

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My sister, Yaritza Rollan, better known as Yaya, dedicated her whole life to creating art. She tattooed, painted, drew, made murals, and studied cosmetology. She joined local gallery events right after high school and earned her place in a tattoo apprenticeship through her own effort. She made her own path in the art world. Sadly, she met people who influenced her in harmful ways, and she slowly began to struggle with opiate addiction. Even with her struggles, she held on to her art and always tried to get back on track. After ten years of fighting addiction, she passed away on December twenty eight, twenty nineteen. On that day, the world lost a bright light.

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Her struggle was not in vain from my point of view. After she passed, I learned how much she inspired others, especially at Reaves House. In her hardest moments, she always found a way to get clean again. Reaves House may have been her last stop on earth, but it is only one stop in her new journey. Reaves House is a nonprofit treatment center for women in Miami. For over fifty years, they have helped women leave the streets and return to healthy lives.

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Yamila Rollan Escalona, Founder