Justin J. Pearson for U.s. Congress

Justin J. Pearson for Congress

Justin J. Pearson was born and raised in Memphis, TN. He fought for justice long before he was elected to serve as District 86 state representative in the Tennessee General Assembly in 2023. At 15, he petitioned the local school board for new textbooks for he and his Mitchell High School classmates. After graduating from Bowdoin College, he returned to Memphis during the pandemic, leading the victorious fight against two, billion-dollar oil companies that wanted to build a pipeline through southwest Memphis that would threaten groundwater and seize land owned by some residents since the abolition of slavery in 1865. During his first weeks in office as District 86 state representative, Justin protested against Tennessee Republicans’ inaction following a mass shooting at a Nashville school where three 9-year-olds and three adults died. They expelled him, but voters quickly reelected Pearson with 94 percent of the vote. Known for his oratory gifts, Pearson is a justice warrior and democracy champion who organizes, mobilizes and activates People Power. He co-founded Memphis Community Against Pollution in 2020, an environmental and climate justice nonprofit and his Movement for Justice Rooted in Love continues to move forward in the fight for environmental justice against the political incompetence that led to one data center polluting Mid-South air for a year unchecked triggering respiratory distress in residents living in surrounding communities. Pearson is married to Oceana R. Gilliam, MPP, who is a law student at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis.

About Justin J. Pearson

This Campaign is About Us

Rep. Justin J. Pearson - I have been an advocate and fighter for justice all of my life.

I’m running for Congress to fight for our families, our values, and our future. The status quo is not working for us, and we cannot keep going with it. It is rigged for the wealthiest and most powerful against the rest of us. I will fight for working class people, for an increased minimum wage, for Medicare for all, for environmental and climate justice, and for equal economic opportunity too.

This campaign is not about me. It’s about us! Working together, I have learned how to build power and win against the odds. As a policymaker, I have written the most legislation to end the gun violence epidemic in our state. I was expelled from my seat serving District 86 as a State Representative because I stood up to the NRA and Republicans in the Legislature.

No matter the cost, I will always defend our district with better laws and my voice to fight for the present and future we deserve. I have organized with thousands of people in Memphis against billion-dollar oil companies and polluters, and we’ve won time and time again. I speak up for justice in Memphis, Shelby County, and across the United States because I know People Power wins!

I have a beautiful wife, two small dogs, 4 brothers, over a dozen nieces and nephews and two of the world’s best parents. We’re all in this together to help make District 9 better for the present and future.

Our Movement for Justice Rooted in Love is People Powered and will always win against the status quo.

Servant-Leader for the Community

I work tirelessly to be the Servant-Leader my community deserves. I have the honor and privilege of being the State Representative for District 86 in the Tennessee General Assembly and now I am running for Congress to continue our good work together. I was born and made in Memphis, TN to my loving parents Dr. Kimberly Owens-Pearson and Rev. Jason C. Pearson, Sr. as the fourth son of five boys. My parents had my oldest brother when they were just 15 and 16 years old. Growing up, we were financially poor but spiritually rich. I watched my parents move from a job making $4.25 an hour to lifting us out of poverty with hard work, dedication, family, and faith.

We had my Grandmothers Pearson and Gwen who were the best matriarchs a family could wish for on our side—a Laidlaw School Bus Driver and a Registered Nurse who always loved us, fed us, and gave us a sense of purpose and an understanding to never forget where we come from. Their homes are where our hearts have always remained in Southwest Memphis. I wouldn’t be here without them and my parents who have defied every odd to help me to be who I am. Although my Grandmothers and my beloved brother Tim, are Ancestor-Angels, my fight for justice is rooted in their spirit and guidance.

Since I was 15, I have been advocating for the community I now represent as a public servant. As a student at Mitchell High School, I went to the school board and demanded that my peers and I get access to textbooks and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Within days, we had thousands of books and four AP courses when I graduated. Since then, I have helped build summer programs for youth, taken on fights against billion-dollar corporations to protect our district’s right to life, and been expelled by Republicans in the Tennessee legislature for standing up to the NRA so we can end the gun violence epidemic.

When billion dollar oil companies sought to pollute over a million people’s drinking water and take people’s land, I helped organize our community and formed Memphis Community Against the Pipeline (MCAP) which successfully stopped that project. When our public utility tried to entrap us in an unfair contract that would’ve raised my constituents’ utility bill, we fought back and stopped the never-ending contracting. When we learned about Sterilization Services of Tennessee’s fugitive emissions killing residents, we rallied and organized until we shut the company down. As workers have gone on strike for better wages, I have advocated and stood with the UAW, BCTGM, MATA bus drivers, and the Teamsters. And, when the xAI data center began illegally polluting our community, I led the effort organizing our environmental justice coalition and community members by the thousands to demand they get a permit and operate more fairly to protect our air, water, and soil. I can’t help it. Wherever I see oppression and injustice, I have to help stop it.

I believe there is a better future for our District, and I am getting in this ring to help us get to it. I promise you that I will always stand up, speak out, and fight for this district because I love my hometown. I love my district and my constituents. We have so much potential which is why I always want to serve this District and help make that vision into a reality. I am blessed to have married the love of my life, my one and only wife, Oceana R. Gilliam on July 19 2025 and help to raise two little dogs named Starrie and Curly. God has been good to me and my family through it all and now I want to continue to serve you in the U.S. Congress.

I never have to wait to join a fight for what’s right. I’m right there with you, and that will never change.

Legislative Accomplishments

State Representative Justin J. Pearson has accomplished the following since his election in 2023:

• Introduced 40 Bills during his first term, 11 Bills during his second
• Wrote and passed with bipartisan support Bill HB1318 to extend the Access Tennessee health insurance program through 2030
• Wrote and passed Bill HB2343 through Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee to create and maintain an information tool on the Environment and Conservation Department’s website that provides data related to the presence of toxic release facilities

Committee Service

• State Government
• Transportation Full
• Transportation Subcommittee
• Disaster Relief Committee for Extraordinary Special Session Committee on Hurricane Helene and Immigration
• Private Acts

Community Engagement

Hosted town halls throughout his district to provide vital information on state government affairs, as well as five air pollution town halls in 10 days throughout Shelby County to educate residents about the threats to air quality in the Mid-South and how they fight for cleaner air for everyone and help overturn legacy pollution.

Rep. Pearson believes the only type of public service is a proximate one to be able to assist when called on and before needed.

Important Issues & Solutions

We have an opportunity to meet this moment by answering the call for justice, fairness, and hope for every person in Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District. We must have a leader who will work and fight for our district and our democracy!

From Shelby County to Tipton County, Memphis to Cordova to Covington and everywhere in between – it’s about all of us working together to create the future we deserve. Together, we know the solutions to the problems we face. Below are just a handful. If there is an issue that you want to see listed, reach out to us at info@votejustinj.com.

Environmental and Climate Justice

Our district has some of the worst polluters in the country. Our district has become a dumping ground for polluting corporations and greedy CEOs—like Elon Musk and xAI—who see our community as the “path of least resistance” to line their pockets with billions more in profits while we are left with more hospital visits and funerals. Every person deserves clean air, clean water, and clean soil. It is a human right to be able to breathe, drink clean water, and plant in clean soil. That right is being taken from us by corporations. I’ve helped lead the fight against many of those companies and we’ve had successes. I promise to continue to do that as well for you in Congress.

In Congress, I will fight to:

• Pass more laws and promote more policies that protect our community’s health
• Advocate for better policies locally and at the state level
• Ensure the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does its job
• Secure funding to help with the medical expenses our families have to take on due to pollution
• Create millions of union jobs to build the green economy all of us deserve to have a part in and benefit from
• Be a leader on tackling the climate crisis and its effects across District 9 and the country, including economic effects for farmers

End Poverty & the Affordability Crisis with Economic Opportunity

Every one can not be guaranteed the same outcomes but every one deserves the same access to opportunities. Without good-paying jobs and wages, we will never eradicate poverty in District 9. Our District is beautiful and also has some of the highest levels of poverty in the nation. 22.2% of people live below the poverty line and 33% of our children live below the poverty line. That has been worsening for the last two decades. I’m not a millionaire or independently wealthy. I grew up in poverty watching my parents struggle to lift me and my four brothers out of it. I know and have lived the struggles being faced by my constituents in District 9. It’s time to do something.

In Congress, I will fight to end poverty by:

• Writing legislation to increase the minimum wage county-by-county using the MIT Living Wage Calculator
• Working to double the Earned Income Tax Credit which would lift half of children in the country out of poverty
• Taxing the income of the richest people in our country
• Cutting taxes on working class people and ending the grocery tax
• Creating the first-ever union liaison position and unionizing the District 9 Congressional Office in Memphis and DC
• Standing on the side of labor unions and on the picket line too

Investing in quality educational opportunities for our students

Fighting for Good Life-sustaining jobs and training opportunities in this economy

Supporting Guaranteed Basic Income programs for poor people and people impacted by job loss due to automation

Ending the Gun Violence Epidemic

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children in Tennessee and in District 9. I’m proud to have written the most legislation in the 113th General Assembly to address the gun violence epidemic. This issue is personal to me. I have lost my beloved brother, cousin, classmates, and mentor due to gun violence. I was expelled from the Tennessee General Assembly as one of the “Tennessee Three” after peacefully protesting to end the gun violence epidemic demanding that my Republican colleagues do something after the largest mass shooting in Tennessee’s history. I will be an advocate in Congress to fight for laws that protect us nationwide. If you or a loved one is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, please call 988.

In Congress, I will work tirelessly to end this epidemic by:

• Advocating for national Extreme Risk Protection Orders or ‘Red Flag Laws’
• Passing laws like a national ban on 80% guns being shipped without serial numbers
• Seeking to have Mandatory Waiting Periods and Firearm Education before purchases
• Fighting for accessible mental health resources for people who are struggling

Affordable Housing

Everybody has a right to shelter. Yet, in Memphis and District 9, over 1,000 residents are unhoused. Those who can afford housing are facing sky-rocketing rents and are being priced out of communities where they have lived for years by greedy developers and real estate corporations. Rent is too high. Younger people, families, and older people on fixed incomes are being hurt the most. This is a moral crisis. My faith reminds me in Matthew 25 that we have moral and legislative responsibility to ensure housing and food justice for all.

In Congress, I will:

• Fight for universal rent caps to stop price gouging
• Work to pass better tenant rights protections for renters
• Limit multi-national corporations from buying up neighborhoods and jacking up rents
• Support more funding than ever before for affordable housing
• Pass Housing-first legislation and policies at the federal level and work more on the local level with housing advocates

Healthcare for All

Healthcare is a human right, but in Tennessee, our state refuses to expand Medicaid while at the same time Trump and Republicans are gutting Medicare and Medicaid to give billionaires tax breaks. No one should fear a hospital bill putting them into poverty.

We need Medicare for All because no family deserves to lose a loved one because of fear of the costs burdening their loved ones so much that they would rather not be alive. Medicare for All would mean no premiums, deductions, or copays for coverage including, vision, dental, ortho, reproductive health, mental healthcare, as well as community-based long-term support services to ensure the crucial services our disabled community relies on are prioritized, not forgotten.

In Congress, I will do everything within my power to:

• Stop drug companies from hiking up their prices beyond what consumers can afford
• Cut the costs being charged for life saving and life sustaining medicine
• Support legislation that overhauls the insurance system, so people stop profiting off our illnesses
• Make sure everyone, regardless of income or occupation, has access to healthcare
• Help reopen rural hospitals that have been devastated by the Trump agenda
• Fight for dental, ortho, vision, and reproductive healthcare to be covered

Supporting Our Veterans

Veterans in District 9 have been deprived of over $600M in benefits and compensation and nothing has been done at the federal level to address this disparity. It’s unconscionable and unacceptable which is why I have been helping to connect veterans to advocate for more resources to care for those who have served our nation faithfully. No veterans should be suffering in District 9 or around the country after serving this nation. My Grandaddy Curtis served in the 101st Airborne in Vietnam and earned two Purple Hearts but was denied benefits for decades. That’s wrong.

In Congress, I will honor the service of veterans by:

• Dedicating more members of my staff to support veterans in Shelby County than ever before
• Writing legislation to adequately educate and inform veterans about their benefits before they are discharged
• Collaborating with organizations to increase the number of veterans in Shelby County who receive their benefits
• Addressing the inequality with the ratings veterans, who have similar challenges, are receiving different places
• Working to pass laws that guarantee attorneys at no-cost to veterans whose claims are denied unjustly

Protecting Immigrant Communities

We are witnessing Donald Trump exploit an already unjust and inhumane immigration system with an assault on our fundamental values, terrorizing immigrant communities with masked agents and taking over our cities like a tyrant. Republicans use immigrants to divide our communities against each other, while corporations exploit them for cheap labor. The solution to both is building a pathway to citizenship so we can stand together for better wages, jobs, and rights for all of us and defeat those seeking to divide us. District 9 welcomes immigrants from all over the world. My faith compels me to serve all people, especially the immigrant “for you shall love [immigrants] as yourself, for you were once strangers in Egypt."

In Congress, I will stand up for our immigrant communities by:

• Supporting the ACLU and others who are working to end illegal and unconstitutional ICE raids, mass deportations, and disappearances
• Bringing forward legislation to make private prisons illegal and stop for-profit detention
• Working with my colleagues and national and community organizations to create a path to documentation and to citizenship
• Defending Dreamers who were brought to this nation by parents seeking opportunity
• Fighting against the separation of children and their families
• Advocating for more judges to review asylum cases and support the people seeking freedom at the border

Educational Equity & Funding Our Schools

Our public education is under attack by right-wing extremists who want to erase our histories from our student’s textbooks, ban books, defund public schools, and line the pockets of private school corporations and CEOs instead of our teachers and schools. Education is the most important investment we can make in our young people. We need to make sure every child has the tools to be successful in college or in careers by bringing back trades into school, as well as ensuring every school has the equipment and tools to educate children. It is past time for a national law guaranteeing increasing public school teachers’ salaries annually so they aren’t applying for SNAP while working 50+ hours a week. My Dr. Mommy has been a public-school teacher for 23 years. I know teachers need more and deserve more for their students and families.

In Congress, I will speak up for teachers and students by:

• Demanding teachers get a pay raise and funding for classroom supplies and professional development
• Learning and working legislatively to rollback the Trump administration’s horrendous attack on public education
• Demanding more funding to Title I schools like my alma mater, Mitchell High School, for technology, textbooks, and trades
• Supporting more post-secondary tracks other than going to college by including technical and skilled labor career paths
• Working to pass a national law that ends private school vouchers which serve as welfare checks for the wealthy

LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS

LGBTQIA2S+ Rights are human rights. Radical Republicans and extremists are blaming queer people and immigrants for everything that is going wrong in our country instead of looking at their own moral and policy failures that are crippling us. I do not support oppressing anybody. God created everybody as a beloved person. We need to stand united to protect the rights of all vulnerable communities because an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. Tennessee passes more anti-queer and hate-filled legislation than any other state. They have typically had a queer Republican present these laws for passage which is double-sad. I am not standing for oppressing anybody. We’re in this fight together.

In Congress, I will defend the right over every person to live and to love freely by:

• Making sure we have policies and laws that uphold Obergefell and Bostock court rulings
• Advocating for laws that protect all queer people from discrimination, especially Black and Brown people
• Providing children and their parents with educational resources at the community-level to safely support every member of the family
• Refusing to hate people because that is against my religion

Foreign Policy

How does Congress easily could come up with billions for bombs and private military contractors but not billions to solve chronic problems in our District 9? The budget for the entire State of Tennessee is $60 billion. The Pentagon will spend 14 times that this year alone. It’s time to end the era of bottomless defense budgets that line the pockets of CEOs while fueling war and destruction abroad. Our taxpayer dollars should not be funding war; they should be funding a better future for our families in District 9.

In Congress, I will advocate to use our power to:

• Stop sending American taxpayer dollars for the arming and bombing of other countries and people
• Reclaim Congressional authority for the declaration of war and stop presidents from funding wars and joining in fights in other nations without the support of the US Congress
• Defend the sanctity of life of every person, especially those who are being starved as an act of war or are being killed seeking aid which is immoral and reprehensible
• Demand that we have a diplomacy-first mindset and stand against the status quo “peace through strength and fear” mentality of this current administration and Congresspeople who desire war