Justin J. Pearson is the fourth of five boys born to teenage parents in Memphis, Tennessee. His parents lifted Justin and his brothers out of poverty with hard work, faith and a plan. They took turns going to college, eventually earning advanced degrees. All the while, they taught their boys to work hard, love God and serve their community from a young age. Justin and his brothers took their teachings to heart.
Justin J. Pearson should have been a statistic.
Justin is running for Congress to make government work for working families again, not the billionaires and corporations. He is running to make life more affordable by helping pass Medicare for All so families don’t risk bankruptcy to get medical care, increasing wages and lowering food, gas, housing and energy costs. He will continue to hold data center operators accountable for the harms they cause, and work to pass a national moratorium on data centers to give the nation time to learn about their impact and regulate them to protect our health, air, land, and jobs.
Justin believes power belongs to the people, not the rich and powerful. He has fought injustice everywhere he has found it. At 15, Justin petitioned the school board to provide textbooks for his fellow students after weeks into the school year of trying to learn without them. They got books two days later. When he learned of an oil pipeline project set to run straight through the neighborhood where he grew up, he formed a coalition of residents, elected officials, activists and experts. They marched, went door-to-door, attended public meetings, wrote legislation and told their story to the nation. They won, stopping the pipeline to protect the region’s water and the families’ land.
Rep. Justin J. Pearson preaching the Gospel and Community of Faith Christian Church where he ministers and his father leads
As the second-youngest member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, when Elon Musk opened the first SpaceXAI hyperscale data center in his district in Southwest Memphis, powering it with pollution producing methane gas turbines, Justin was the only lawmaker to stand up to protect the community. He formed a coalition of residents, experts, and activists to bring awareness to SpaceXAI’s abuses. His fight has spurred communities across the country to stand up to protect their health, air, water and land. Since standing up, SpaceXAI has applied for permits, the City of Memphis approved a benefits agreement for neighborhoods in proximity to the center and the Memphis City Council is considering a 12-month moratorium on new data centers.
Justin is a national voice for justice. After protesting the inaction of his fellow lawmakers in the Tennessee General Assembly, he was expelled from office. Community leaders reappointed him and voters reelected him as their state representative with 92 percent of the vote. The Truman Center bestowed upon him its prestigious 2024 Moral Courage Award.
Justin launched his congressional campaign October 8, 2025, declaring it “a campaign for The People.” When Republicans cracked Shelby County where he was running for Congress into three new districts that reached into Middle Tennessee, giving Republican candidates in each race a distinct advantage, Justin did not falter. He kept running in the 9th District even after his 19-year incumbent opponent dropped out of the race. He hit the road and has visited all 15 counties in the gerrymandered district multiple times to meet with voters face-to-face. On Aug. 6, 2026, he won the Tennessee Ninth Congressional District Democratic nomination by 40 points over his nearest opponent.
Justin lives in Memphis with his wife, third-year law student Oceana R. Gilliam-Pearson, and their two dogs Curly Girly and Starrie and cat Galaxy.
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Legislative Accomplishments
Despite persistent pushback by the Republican majority in the Tennessee General Assembly, 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 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
Served on the following committees:
State Government
Transportation Full
Transportation Subcommittee
Disaster Relief Committee for Extraordinary Special Session Committee on Hurricane Helene and Immigration
Private Acts
Hosted over 12 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