Growing up cradled by the golden age of hip-hop in a biracial and queer household nestled in a multicultural apartment complex, Dustin’s upbringing informs his passion for inclusive storytelling and youth empowerment.
Dustin earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts and teaching certification from Michigan State University, where his dual identity as a hip-hop DJ and graffiti artist shaped his artistic and educational practices. His creative journey has always been intertwined with a commitment to community and education.

Early in his teaching career, Dustin worked with youth experiencing homelessness in Portland, Oregon, an experience that solidified his dedication to empowering young people through creativity. In 2018, he returned to Michigan to establish Muralmatics, a platform that merges mural art with education. Through Muralmatics, Dustin facilitates commissioned murals, student-centered mural camps, and paid apprenticeships for emerging artists.
With over 25 large-scale murals to his name, Dustin’s work emphasizes regional narratives, history, and place-based storytelling. As the co-founder and director of Lansing’s Below the Stacks City-Wide Mural Festival, Dustin brought internationally acclaimed street artists to Michigan’s capital, enriching the cultural landscape.

Dustin has received numerous grants, including the 2024 Arts Impact Grant (Lansing, MI) and the 2022 Grit Fund Project Grant (Washington, DC). He has participated in artist residencies such as the Jentel Artist Residency (WY) and the Community Artist Residency at the College of DuPage (IL). Dustin’s festival credits include BLKOUT Walls (Detroit, MI) and Heartside Historic Murals (Grand Rapids, MI).