Devin Johnson is a Midvale-born artist, activist, licensed cosmetologist and lifelong advocate for equity, creativity and collective liberation. With a background in performing arts and over ten years in the beauty industry, Devin’s work bridges personal expression and systemic change. Her craft has been published in The Man, Beauty Launchpad, and Salon Evo, and has competed in the North American Hair Awards (NAHA). She has worked in every major salon business model—from commission to booth rental, and corporate franchises to independent studios. Through that experience, she witnessed firsthand the exploitation that is all too common in the industry: misclassification, wage theft, lack of benefits and environments built on burnout rather than care.

In response to the widespread exploitation she witnessed in the beauty industry, Devin founded the Utah Beauty Project, an organization dedicated to organizing and empowering Utah’s beauty workforce through education, advocacy, and collective action. She also served as a Salt Lake City representative for the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), continuing her unwavering fight for labor rights and workplace justice across industries. A familiar face on the Utah State Capitol steps, Devin has delivered dozens of speeches and public presentations- often to crowds of hundreds or even thousands- amplifying the voices of underrepresented and marginalized communities. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, she played a key role in building a grassroots coalition, organizing mass mobilizations across Salt Lake City, and emceed the city’s powerful “Decision Day Rally” in protest of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, offering both fire and guidance to a grieving and galvanized public.

Devin’s activism also intersects with national movements. She’s worked with the ERA Coalition, supporting the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, which affirms that “equality under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.” Utah has yet to ratify the amendment.

Her creativity is just as expansive. A multidisciplinary artist, Devin paints large-scale murals and designs community-centered digital art. She is also an active contributor and volunteer to the Burning Man Organization, where she supports large-scale, participatory art that centers radical self-expression, mutual aid, and cultural transformation.

Devin co-created and ran The People’s Palace, a grassroots house venue and mutual aid hub featuring a free library, a free pantry, live music, and space for artists and activists to gather, connect, and organize. She continues to serve her Midvale community through her small, independent salon, Hairoism, a deeply affirming, inclusive space rooted in trust and creative freedom.

Whether she’s organizing, painting, cutting hair, or building systems of mutual support, Devin dreams of—and is actively working toward—a world where everyone is free. Altar Ego brings her one step closer to that dream.

In 2025, Devin launched Altar Ego Apothecary as a natural extension of her creative and economic work- a scalable retail and community business bridging magical commerce, ethical labor, and immersive experience. As sole owner and director, she designed Altar Ego to function as a multi-revenue platform encompassing e-commerce, private salon suite rentals, and a future tea bar and class space. The project builds on Devin’s proven ability to unite grassroots organizing with visionary aesthetics, offering a physical and digital environment for artists, healers, and independent professionals to grow alongside one another. Altar Ego reflects her commitment to equity-driven enterprise, local creativity, and a new standard for small business leadership.