Missoula Gives is happening now! Will you help the Montana Innocence Project bring home more innocent people?
Missoula Gives is an opportunity to raise awareness and funds to support our work. MTIP is the only non-profit organization in Montana representing the wrongfully convicted.
Read below to learn more about our client Joseph Jefferson-Dust, and how your investment in MTIP can make an impact on our client’s ability to rebuild their lives after wrongful conviction.
Montana Innocence Project client Joseph Jefferson-Dust has faced many obstacles since his wrongful conviction in 2017. On February 14, 2024 Joe’s judgements were set aside, and a new trial was ordered. Over the last several months, Joe has begun navigating his journey to rebuilding his life as he awaits the next steps in his fight for innocence. Through his love for art, he has found a new career in auto detailing and design.
Joe began working at an auto detailing and design shop in Billings just over five months ago, and is gaining several new skills from the experience.
“I never really thought that I would have a job doing this, but it feels like something I can really have a career with.”
Joe regularly works on designing graphic artwork and installing vinyl to his client’s vehicles, which has become one of his new passions.
“For graphics, we use vinyl wrap, and we design and print patterns onto it. Sometimes it is pretty simple with a picture that someone already wants, but sometimes they will give us an idea, and we can be creative and design something for them.”
His most memorable design he’s worked on so far, was for a client who wanted a Batman decal on their vehicle.
“She kinda left it up to me to create the design and I came up with something pretty cool, sent it to her, and she loved it!”
Joe’s interest in art came at a very young age, and was inspired by his uncle Frank who is also an artist.
“He would have portfolios and sketchbooks, of all the coolest art I had ever seen as a kid. So I just always wanted to be able to do the same thing.”
Joe began drawing in elementary school, and went on to take art classes in pottery and acrylic and oil painting. He grew up reading comics and watching anime, which would go on to inspire his drawings.
“I had friends growing up who loved to draw too, and we would compete against each other to see who could make the coolest drawing. To this day I’m still in competition with myself, I’m not as good as some professional artists, but I always try to come up with something new and cool.”
For Joe, drawing has always been a constant in his life. While wrongfully convicted in jail, Joe turned to his art as a way to keep his mind off of the injustice he was facing.
“Being in jail there is not much to do, so it gave me some time to get back into drawing and doing art in general. That was extremely helpful in getting me through that time.”
In jail, Joe would regularly receive requests from people who wanted to buy his artwork, which led him to start thinking about turning his passion into a career.
With the help of MTIP supporters, Joe has had the ability to move forward in rebuilding his life after his wrongful conviction, and the opportunity to pursue his passions.
Today, Joe is currently working towards the goal of opening his own shop one day to do vinyl wrapping and painting on vehicles.
“I’m just learning everything I can at this job about graphic design and vinyl installation so that I can use that to start my own business.”
Joe has also considered taking classes to learn more about graphic design, to expand his editing skills using Adobe computer software in the future.
In the meantime, he wants to work on wrapping his own personal motorcycle for practice before he starts to take on clients of his own.
“I know now, that if you can see what you can create, you just need a plan to get you there, and work towards that one step at a time.”
Supporting MTIP means giving people the ability to reunite with their families and communities, and a chance to rebuild their lives. With your support, we will continue doing this necessary work in our community and across Montana.
Click here to donate, or search “Montana Innocence Project” at Missoulagives.org.
Thank you for your generous support and tireless commitment to justice!