Justin Ayala ’20

Justin Ayala ’20 (he/him) is a Northern California native, a former University of California Santa Cruz Biochemistry Undergraduate, photographer, drug policy activist, and psychedelic harm reductionist. Justin is constantly exploring the intersection between art, science, and social justice, and integrates the love and strength he has found being part of the LGBT, Latinx, and Asian communities into everything he does. Justin first joined SSDP in 2020 after witnessing the UCSC chapter help pass a historic psychedelic decriminalization bill in Santa Cruz. Since then, Justin’s work in drug policy and psychedelic spaces has been rooted in a desire to challenge systems of oppression, while discovering and implementing multifaceted and ethical solutions to our mental health and overdose crisis. Justin currently volunteers with Fireside Project, a psychedelic emotional support line, and has previously worked with the MAPS MDMA Training Team. He is currently based in the California Bay Area.