Justin Purvis, Member & Graphic Novelist

Justin Purvis graduated from Scotch Plains Fanwood High School in 2018 attend the Kubert School of Arts to pursue a career in graphic and comic design. Justin endured ridicule and bullying throughout grade school as a result of his dyslexia and learning differences. He says his circumstances have made him stronger and made him work harder. His passion for drawing came from reading comics and he ultimately aspires to become an illustrator and cartoonist, creating graphic novels.

Justin first learned about Learning Ally as a freshman in high school, indicating that joining Learning Ally was a turning point for his educational experience. The audiobooks enabled him to keep up with and manage his classroom assignments, and he no longer dreaded reading assignments or class discussions. “Learning Ally made my life easier,” says Justin. “I particularly liked the human narration, which brought the words and stories to life.” He participated in Learning Ally’s virtual ‘Spotlight on Dyslexia,’ which introduced him to various technologies to support his learning styles and from that point he began to understand that being an “ear reader” was nothing to be ashamed of, but merely a matter of how each individual processes information. Says Justin, “I was able to let go of the shame that I had attached to my dyslexia for so long, and embrace the gifts that came with being a dyslexic person.”