Black History Month Spotlight: Justin's Eats Alaska
Northern Skies FCU is proud to highlight a local Black-owned business and a community voice many Alaskans know and love: Justin's Eats Alaska, created by the multi-talented Justin Williams.
Justin is a creator dedicated to uplifting local businesses, celebrating food culture, and strengthening our community. A single father and lifelong Alaskan, Justin uses his platform to bring visibility, customers, and connection to Anchorage’s vibrant food scene.
Beyond food reviews, Justin is a local graphic designer, podcast host, audio editor, and senior host of Hometown Alaska on Alaska Public Media. He also serves on the board of the Anchorage International Film Festival, volunteers with the arts community at The Workshop, and performs as an MC in the Oregon-based group Isolated Frequency. You can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok; anywhere but Twitter, as he likes to say.
We asked Justin to share more about his values, his journey, and the role of representation in his work. Here’s what he had to say:
What personal values shape the way you lead, create, or run your brand?
My primary personal value when it comes to food is simply to enjoy life. Americans are typically conditioned to be overworked, silent when anxious, and use their refusal to ask for assistance as a sort of metric to determine their own—or their neighbor's—perceived "American-ness". Meeting a dream for someone else doesn't usually warrant enjoyment, and since food is a part of life in any capacity, enjoying it opens up the doors to discussions about food security and stability, geography and globalization, sociology and the economy. It also involves close care, consideration, and an appreciation for the history and science of it. Anchorage is still one of the most racially diverse cities in North America. The types of positive, long-term connections to be made with food—simply because it can be enjoyed--including being an economic stimulus for local businesses, are innumerous.
What does visibility and representation mean to you?
I was raised to believe that there is enough room at the table for all of us, despite our distinctive differences. I was also raised to understand how some believe that if others eat, that means they themselves lose, and because of that they will always attempt to keep marginalized communities away from the table, and pretend there isn't enough room. So much American cuisine, like our country itself, was established from the sweat, the pain, and the pride, of black Americans. Historically our contributions to this country have been ignored, lied about, or omitted from history. But our place in the timeless book of cuisine will always be remembered. Representation is extremely important to me. People that look like me, that come from where I'm from, always need to be reminded that they can be anything. Not just cogs in the system that wants to prevent them from having time, or outcasts convinced the only way out is through illegal means. If a young black boy can look at me, a black man, and look at the positive work I'm during in our local community, then legacy, authenticity, and equity wins. Poverty, injustice, and homogeny lose.
What milestone are you most proud of?
My proudest moment came from helping establish Da Jerk Spot on the map in their earlier incarnations before their beautiful brick and mortar was set up. When they contacted me for a review, which was posted on social media, I was able to help raise their income by over 200%. This brought the attention of Alaska's News Source, which led to an interview with them where I was able to further spotlight Da Jerk Spot, and it also helped me stay in connection with other local food reviews. To know that I was able to help keep restaurant doors open during and after COVID is exactly what keeps me in this journey.
What drew you to Alaska and made you choose it as the place to build your work or brand?
Unlike my family, I was born and raised in Alaska. It was a natural choice to begin the journey, build those connections, and help build a safe foundation for a long-lasting empire that others can get a taste of. Our local economy—from restaurants to mom n pop stores to food trucks—is incredible. I may not remain domiciled here forever, but while I am here, I am going to be certain to uplift and honor the land that bore me and raised me.