Justin was born to immigrant parents in the middle of the high desert. His hometown and the Catholic school he attended were both very conservative and predominately white. Living here in the shadow of Lake Tahoe and a few hours from San Francisco, both places became persistent beacons for him. After pursuing an eclectic mix of higher education in bioengineering, American Sign Language, international human rights, and doctoral-level orthopedic surgery research, he jumped head-first into the arts in his 20s.
Justin's first time singing outside of the shower, or performing in any capacity, was inside an audition room. Since then, he has become a seasoned classically-trained singer, actor, and writer.
As a performer, he has acted extensively in multiple regions, including the world-premieres of Unbreakable by Andrew Lippa, and Kiss My Aztec! by John Leguizamo and Tony Taccone (as a lead understudy). He was also part of a workshop with Neil Pepe at The Atlantic Theater and has performed several concerts as a soloist with the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.
As a writer, Justin is a proud member of The Playground Experiment. During the pandemic, he has also taken writing courses with Will Dunne at Chicago Dramatists and Winter Miller at Primary Stages ESPA. His goal is to continue to tell stories from his unique perspective, stemming from his unique family background, his personal traumas, and his eclectic education.