About Justin Williams
" The biggest problem of the twenty first century is every one wants to be heard but no one wants to listen."
Justin Williams
Short Biography
Justin Williams is a Baltimore-based figurative draftsman, photographer, educator, and social justice advocate whose work lives at the intersection of art and activism. With a strong focus on dismantling the cycles of mass incarceration, Justin leverages visual storytelling, community engagement, and art education as tools for liberation and systemic change.
Rooted in personal experience and the belief that art can reframe narratives and spark transformative dialogue, Justin’s practice explores the emotional and historical complexities of being Black in Baltimore. His journey began in high school, where an art teacher saw potential beneath disruption—and introduced Justin to art as a form of power, voice, and visibility. That encounter became a catalyst for his life's work: using art not only as personal healing, but as a medium to amplify underrepresented voices and challenge institutional injustices.
A graduate of Delaware State University, Justin pursued both Studio Art and Social Work, specializing in trauma-informed art practices for inner-city youth. He later founded Taino Studios, a community-centered creative studio offering art therapy, design skills, and a safe space for creative expression, particularly for those affected by poverty, violence, and incarceration.
Justin’s curriculum development and teaching in Baltimore’s public schools and enrichment programs reflect his core philosophy: art is not extracurricular—it’s essential. His work with youth encourages critical thought, emotional resilience, and community pride, while directly addressing the pipeline between under-resourced schools and the prison system.
Through Taino Studios, school partnerships, and public art projects, Justin continues to cultivate spaces where creativity becomes resistance, design becomes vision, and young people become architects of their own futures.