Today we’d like to introduce you to Janace Griffin
Hi Janace, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
What’s Up! My name is Janace L. Griffin also known as “JunkDredz” and I am a lucky and proud resident of El Paso, Texas by way of Camp Lejeune, NC. I am currently living the life of my dreams as a multi published author, Fashion Designer, Artist, Creative Director and founder of the El Paso Black Art Association. My family and I relocated to El Paso, Texas after losing my father to Acute Myeloid Leukemia directly caused by the contamination of water at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base which has only recently been uncovered and currently being investigated in an effort to accommodate the families and loved ones affected by gross negligence and lack of accountability for decades.
I have been featured on KVIA, KTSM, PBS, L.A. Fashion Week, Audi Fashion Week, The City Magazine, Bold Journey Magazine, The UTEP Prospector and the list goes ON! I had the honor and privilege of graduating Cum Laude from the historically Black HBCU North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University as well as went on to obtain my Masters in Family & Marriage Counseling from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. and became a forever sister of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated. .
I deeply enjoy reading my African-American Children’s books free of charge at local elementary schools during diversity awareness activity, Black History Month as well as Juneteenth Celebrations in her community. I am also a Veteran of the United States Air Force and served as a Nuclear Weapons Officer in Minot, North Dakota. I enjoy reading, writing poetry and spending time with my family and loved ones as well as challenging social norms within the African-American Community and culture of El Paso.
I will be hosting my first official show under my clothing brand Junk Approved October 26, 2024 entitled “Death By Denim”. The show will contain other local designers that will also create looks that will be made entirely or atleast 85% in denim, also we ask that the audience come wearing only denim or black.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think sometimes as artist/creatives we can be our biggest critics. There is nothing more frustrating or overwhelming than not putting the image out into the world that you saw in your head! However when you do the moment is PRICELESS! We always want to top our last work, the industry is ever changing and moving so you have to keep up with what’s current or you just kind of fade out. We have to constantly remind ourselves that we are creating because we LIKE doing what we are doing first before ANYTHING.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
El Paso Strong Fashion Show
2023
2024
Author of the year 2023 Black El Paso voiced
Featured in: Audi Fashion Week 2023, MagsBlack, Crossland Art gallery, BoldJourney, Nova Gallery
Multi/published African/American Childreds Books
-Founder of the El Paso black arts association incorporated
2024 Do-Gooder for El Paso Community Foundation
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my most fondest childhood memories that is funny now but not at that time was when I saw a show on animal planet about how you could watch frogs hatch and grow from eggs to tadpoles, There was a creek not to far from our home, therefore I decided to gather a small batch of frog eggs from there’ and keep them under my bed so that my mother would not know. Everything was fine the first 2 days until they began to make my room spell funny. My mom found the frogs while I was in school and she was pxssed! I was later given a small tank of ;fire belly frogs and all was well again.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.junkapproved.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junkdredz/
