Devastated that Donald Trump would again be president, Dylan Cullison woke up Nov. 6 with an idea.Cullison wanted to do something for those in their community also struggling with the election results. They decided to put their talents as a tattoo artist to use and offer to get people inked for whatever amount they could pay."People just want to have control of something right now, and getting a tattoo gives you a way to have some control over your body, some bodily autonomy," Cullison said. "And I was like, 'Damn, that's something I can provide.'"Cullison, who works at Noble Coyote Tattoo in Lincoln Square, reached out to their co-workers and the owner to see if they were on board to tattoo people for a "pay what you can" day."Immediately, everybody was down, and it just took off from there," Cullison said. "We have a really good time here together. We all vibe really well, and we all share a lot of the same values." Tattoo artist Dylan Cullison applies a tattoo onto a client’s left shoulder during a “pay what you can” day at Noble Coyote Tattoo.Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times News of the day spread fast. People showed up Wednesday well before the shop opened at noon. A line quickly grew, and people camped out with their laptops and knitting projects.The artists and patrons told the Sun-Times it was meaningful to be among community, especially for queer people feeling especially concerned about the years ahead."People are feeling a lot of bleakness," Cullison said. "Last time Trump came into office, people were shocked and surprised. The shock and surprise is not as present this time, but the overwhelming grief that people are feeling is very present."Some people paid with money, but many also brought in baked goods, Red Bulls and a rainbow Care Bear. Some offered services like electrical work or a photo shoot. Any money paid will be donated to local organizations focused on LGBTQ+ issues and women's rights, said the shop's owner, Mike Ramos. Some of the many goodies people have paid with for a tattoo during a pay what you can flash day at Noble Coyote Tattoo.Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times "We're less focused on what the payment is and more focused on the turnout and support in the community, and getting people in here to look forward to a little bit of positivity," Ramos said.They also wanted to make it accessible for people who can't afford a full-priced tattoo, Cullison said."People are really struggling financially right now," Cullison said. "So I was like, why don't I just open it up, and people can just pay me with whatever they got, whatever they want."Josie Masset, 26, was one of the first to get tattooed Wednesday. She got an intricate black-and-white antler from Silas Weidner, an artist at Noble Coyote."This is about solidarity and people feeling safe in a dangerous world and having some control," Masset said. Tattoo artist Silas Weidner applies Josie Masset’s first tattoo onto her right ankle, during a pay what you can flash day at Noble Coyote Tattoo.Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times Tattoo artist Silas Weidner applies Josie Masset’s first tattoo onto her right ankle at Noble Coyote Tattoo.Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times The tattoo, Masset's first, will serve as a reminder of the day and the strong bonds in her community."I really just wanted a memento of the time and of the solidarity," she said. "I'm always gonna look at it and remember that there are still good people in the world."When Ramos opened Noble Coyote in 2020, his main goal was to create a welcoming and safe space for customers and artists. Mike Ramos, a tattoo artist and owner of Noble Coyote Tattoo, sets up his tattoo gun before seeing a new client during a “pay what you can” day at Noble Coyote Tattoo.Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times "It was a process to get open in the middle of a global pandemic, but we did it with perseverance and determination — which it seems like we're going to have to access that again over the next four years," he said.Cullison planned to do as many tattoos as they physically could on Wednesday, musing that maybe they'll hit 80 and keep going."This stuff fuels me," they said. "Overall, the picture is really scary, but all we can do is exactly what we're doing right now, which is take care of each other and provide what we can and look out for one another." Tattoo artist Dylan Cullison sits at their station before seeing a new client during a pay what you can flash day at Noble Coyote Tattoo.Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times