Meet Iliana ✨

Hi! I'm Iliana Kennedy. I'm one of the kids ear piercers at Tribal Expression, and getting to work with kids is one of my favourite parts of what I do.

I grew up around piercing

Body piercing has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

My dad is Keith Kennedy, the founder of Tribal Expression, and he has been a professional piercer for more than three decades.

When I decided that I wanted to become a piercer too, I got the very special opportunity to learn directly from my dad.

But he taught me something even bigger than how to pierce ears. He taught me what our family calls The Tribal Expression Way — how my family does ear piercing: we listen to you, explain everything, let you choose, and make your day feel special.

What is the Tribal Expression Way?

To us, getting your ears pierced should be about much more than just putting earrings in your ears. It can be a really special day.

Maybe you came with your mom or dad. Maybe you came with your grandparent. Maybe your brother, sister or best friend came too.

Maybe you have been thinking about your first earrings for months. Maybe you are super excited. Maybe you are nervous. Maybe you are a little bit of both.

All of those feelings are okay.

My job is to explain what is happening, answer your questions, listen to you and make sure you know that you get to be part of the decisions.

Three important words

At Tribal Expression, you always have three very important words:

YES — I'm ready.

PAUSE — I need a minute.

STOP — I don't want to keep going.

Those words belong to you. Getting your ears pierced is something happening to your body, so we want you to know that your voice matters.

Two very different jobs

Growing up, I got to watch both of my parents do jobs they really cared about.

My dad worked in body piercing. my mom worked as a behavioural therapist helping children.

I thought both of their jobs were pretty amazing.

Somehow, when I became a piercer, I found a way to bring a little bit of both worlds together. I get to be a professional piercer like my dad, but a huge part of my job is also getting to work with kids.

Every kid is different

One of the most important things I have learned is that there is no single right way to feel about getting your ears pierced.

Some kids want me to explain absolutely everything. Some kids would rather not see the needle at all. Some like to talk and laugh. Some prefer things quieter. Some want their grown-up right beside them. Some need a few extra minutes.

I have learned how to make the visit work for kids who feel sounds, touch or new places differently. That is completely okay. We can figure out what helps make the experience work best for you.

My favourite part

One of my favourite moments is when everything is finished and you get to look in the mirror at your new earrings for the first time.

I hope what you remember is not only that you got your ears pierced. I hope you remember that it was your special day. You got to make choices. You got to ask questions. People listened to you. And you got to see yourself wearing the earrings you picked out.

I can't wait to show you around Tribal Expression, answer your questions and help you learn exactly what happens when you get your ears pierced.