Justin Ward has been building puppets since he was six. Now 17, the Detroit artist, puppeteer, and poet is the creator behind Draw It Out, an educational children's series that turns puppetry, art, animation, and live action into a tool for teaching kids how to read.
Who are you, and what are you building right now?
"I'm Justin Ward, an American artist, puppeteer, poet, actor, and creator. I've always been interested in using art as a way to communicate ideas and connect with people. Right now, I'm building Draw It Out, an educational children's show that combines puppetry, animation, art, and live action to help kids learn how to read. At the same time, I'm continuing to develop my fashion brand, poetry, and performance work. Ultimately, I'm building a creative platform where all of those things can exist together while inspiring other young people to embrace who they are, express themselves, and not be afraid to create their own path."
What was the moment you decided to actually go for it?
"There wasn't one single moment. It was more like realizing that I kept waiting for somebody else to believe in me and in what I had been doing. I started building puppets when I was about six years old. From there, I began writing poetry, making music, creating characters, and coming up with different ideas. Eventually, I realized that if I kept waiting until I was older, more experienced, or simply waited for somebody to believe in me, I might never actually do anything. The idea for Draw It Out actually came from my art teacher at Detroit School of Arts. She suggested that I could use the puppets I had already built to create some kind of educational show. In the beginning, Draw It Out was more focused on teaching kids how to draw, which is where the name came from. But that changed after I started reading articles about literacy struggles and how many children have difficulty learning to read. I realized I could take something I was already passionate about, puppetry and art, and use it to address something that affects so many children. So I decided to start with what I had. I didn't have a huge production company or a big budget. I had puppets, ideas, creativity, and a willingness to create something that could make a difference."
"I decided to start with what I had. That was enough for me to begin."
What does Detroit mean to your work?
"Detroit has given me the chance to do so many of the things I'm doing today, and I'll be forever grateful for that. Detroit has also taught me that you can build something out of almost nothing. There's a history here of people creating, rebuilding, experimenting, and finding their own way. That spirit shows up in my work. There are a lot of opportunities for young people in Detroit, and I want to take advantage of those while also creating more of them for other young artists. If I can, I'd love to help make Detroit the next Hollywood, not by trying to make it into something it isn't, but by building up the talent, stories, productions, and opportunities that already exist here. I want people to see that young artists from Detroit don't have to wait for an opportunity somewhere else to become successful."
"Being young doesn't mean you can't create something incredible. Sometimes it means you're willing to imagine something other people haven't thought of yet."
What's something people your age get wrong about what you do?
"I think people sometimes assume that because I'm young, I'm not capable of doing the things I'm able to do. Sometimes, because I'm a teenager, I feel like I get boxed in with the negative stereotypes people have about teenagers. And as a young Black person, there can also be assumptions about what I'm capable of. I don't think your age, your background, or other people's expectations should determine what you're capable of creating. I'm still learning. I make mistakes. I try things that don't work. But there's value in building while you're learning instead of waiting until you think you're perfect. People also sometimes see one part of what I do and assume that's all I am. I'm not just a puppeteer, a musician, a poet, or a fashion designer. I'm an artist who works across different mediums, and for me, all of those things are connected."
What's next? What does the near future look like for you?
"The immediate goal is to keep turning the ideas I've been developing into real projects. With Draw It Out, I'm working toward expanding the series, continuing production, and getting it in front of more families and educators. I'm also continuing to develop my fashion work, music, poetry, acting, and other performance projects. I don't want my future to be limited to being known as an extraordinary teenager. I want to grow into an adult artist with a long career. I want to play positive Black male characters, but I also want to be a comedian, make family shows, and tell stories. I believe there's a place for entertainment that can simply make people laugh or feel something, and at the same time, positive representation and meaningful stories are more important now than ever. I'm 17, so I know I have a lot left to learn. But I also know I have a lot of time to build."
