Janace Griffin

AKA

JunkDredz

USAF Veteran

Published African-American Children’s Book Author

Designer/ Artist

Founder of the El Paso Black Arts Association

President of the El Paso Black Chamber of Commerce

Activist

Who is JUNKDREDZ?

Janace L. Griffin, AKA JunkDredz, is an El Paso resident, Air Force Veteran, Artist, Designer and Creative Director originally from Jacksonville, Camp Lejeune North Carolina.

Since the ripe age of 15 years she had dreams of one day becoming an artist and planned to major in Fashion Technology & Marketing after graduating high school, however, life had other plans. In order to obtain a full ride scholarship through the Historically Black College University (HBCU) of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Air Force R.O.T.C program, she was required to select a “Practical Major” (Fashion and Art not being an option for the military), therefore, Griffin decided to earn her bachelor's in psychology, graduating Cum Laude as well as becoming a lifelong member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated, before commissioning into the United States Air Force with a Top-Secret Clearance as a Nuclear Weapons Officer serving in Minot, North Dakota.

Griffin later went on to earn her Master’s in Family and Marriage Counseling while also serving in various roles within the Mental health community that included case management, group and individual counseling, as well as crisis management. It was not until losing her father to Acute Myeloid Leukemia, directly caused by the consumption of contaminated water located at Camp Lejeune Military Base in Jacksonville, NC and the COVID-19 pandemic that Griffin was finally able to put her skills, talent and passion for art and fashion to use as a means of extra income to assist in helping her family, as well as taking the leap of faith into what she always dreamed of doing.

It was not long before Junk Approved Clothing Brand was born and Griffin began creating high fashion, unique, upcycled and recycled garments and accessories from everyday items such as spoons, forks, vintage clothing and other objects with an artistic twist that has allowed her work to be showcased at the Crossland Art Gallery located in Downtown El Paso, EPCC TransMountain location, L.A. Fashion Week, Audi Fashion Week, UTEP Prospector, KTSM and KVIA News multiple times as well as other fashion shows and exhibitions. Janace has been published in MagsBlack Magazine issue 79, The City Magazine November issue of 2023, which featured her books as well as her collection entitled “Junk’d” consist of upcycled formal style dresses that are hand painted and styled in honor women that have suffered, currently suffering or survived Domestic Violence and Mental Illness of all shapes, sizes, races, nationalities and backgrounds.

Most recently Janace has founded the El Paso Black Arts Association in an effort to give back to her community although it is not her HOMETOWN she has a sense of pride and adoration for her NEW home as well as always for her culture. The mission of the organization is to “encourage, celebrate, showcase and support individuals of color or ethnic background that have answered the call to CREATE any and all genres of art, to include film, writing, design, singing, dance, photography, painting and other visual and performing arts, while residing in El Paso, Texas”.

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