Sam Gerard
Sam Gerard has been interested in politics since he was eight years old--mainly because his parents opted to constantly watch the 2000 election results and deprived him of Spongebob. Since then, Sam has worked for issue advocacy organizations, state political parties, as well as in Congressional offices. He still watches a lot of TV and movies. His podcast, PopPartisan, combines his two interests together with variant results. Eventually he'll catch up on Spongebob--no rush."
Artemis Thompson
Hailing from Nashville, TN. to reside in Washington, DC to obtain an undergrad degree at Howard University, Ardamus was honing his skills as a rapper as well. Over the years of developing a style of his own from being a part of various open mic movements and battles, Ardamus soon earned a rep for being one the most premiere hip hop artists in the DMV area. Doing everything from opening for acts like Blu & Exile, Ceschi, and Souls Of Mischief to working on a hip hop project with the NIH, Ardamus has been working hard on his craft by himself along with others on various collaborative efforts.
Marisa Ewing
Marisa Ewing is an audio engineer and sound designer based in Washington, DC. She is the founder of Hemlock Creek Productions, a boutique post-production audio studio that edits audio for podcasts, film, and video games. Some of her works include the podcasts "Rusty Quill," "Dark Dice," and "Being Seen." She specializes in editing audio remotely, and has worked with clients across the globe, including in the US, UK, Canada, and Malaysia.
Kent Slowinski
Kent Slowinski, a native Washingtonian and landscape architect, studied at Georgetown, Maryland and UVA. Kent is the co-founder of Mentors+Makers (M+M), a network of makerspaces in the District (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kent-slowinski-a2464811/). M+M provides opportunities to learn how to use digital technology and traditional tools to start businesses, make products, design websites, learn to code, sell products online, and show others how to do the same. M+M makes entrepreneurship easier for members by providing resources through Innovation Spaces. Kent works mainly with acrylics and wood on the laser cutter, and received his first patent on the Washington Monument Birdhouse.
Madelyne Adams
Madelyne Adams is a self-taught graphic designer, hand letterer, and muralist residing in SW DC. She started Good Letters as a passion project in 2017 and since then has done work for both local and national organizations and businesses. She's passionate about vintage type, community involvement, and paddling on the Potomac.
Indya Wright
Indya Wright is an award-winning media professional from Washington DC. Brand strategist and curator of good vibes. Indya believes in cultural advocacy through creative exploits. After having success as a producer, graphic designer, Capital Hill commercial banker & Superior Court deputy clerk, Indya decided to use her broad expertise to serve other creatives. She founded the public relations and production firm Artiste House. Her mission is to help preserve DC urban culture through media & work with DC creatives to give them the branding necessary to live their dreams.
Heather Frank
As a media executive and arts advocate, Heather Frank is great at creating engaging experiences, building teams and transforming organizations. She's served as the top editor and digital executive at major media organizations, most recently at USA TODAY. Through her consultancy, Jump Strategies, she provides strategic advice to consumer-facing companies and organizations. A lifelong musical performer, she appears regularly at cabaret venues in the Washington area and serves on the board of directors of the DC Cabaret Network.
Mentwab Easwaran
I am a creative innovator, artist and design expert with more than 20 years of experience creating impactful visual solutions. I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. When I was young my love for colors and shapes guided me in the direction of graphic design. I was hired, at 17, by a non-profit organization to create pillow cover designs and I produced 28 original pillow covers that were used to raise funds. When I was 20, I moved to the United States, graduated in communication design from Parson School of Design and has since been producing print and digital designs for the government and commercial sectors. I am now exploring my own private ventures: To the delight of eager customers, I am making my art and graphic designs accessible via functional products at affordable prices. My goal is to have a varied set of merchandise featuring the beauty and diversity of Africa & its people. In that way, I hope to present positive narratives and tell stories about African cultures.
Dwight Jones
Hello my name is Dwight Juice Jones. I'm the creator of Get Home Safe which is a platform that creates mental health content. We bring the therapist to the function. Our three goals are to Expose, Enlighten and Elevate the community around us especially when it comes to mental health. I’m originally from NJ by way of East Orange/Maplewood. Both of my parents are originally from Jamaica but I was born here. I’ve owned my production business since the summer of 2018 and I'm here to learn.
The Dap Project (Rhonda Henderson & Aaron Stallworth)
The Dap Project is a podcast that explores culture and politics through the Black man's most nuanced and telling gesture. Co-created and co-hosted by Rhonda Henderson and Aaron Stallworth, the Dap Project is committed to amplifying Black voices in pursuit of justice. Aaron and Rhonda have professional experience in teaching and educational leadership, and a passion for telling and listening to compelling stories from their community. They are excited to join the 202 Creates family to elevate their craft, and expand the Dap Project platform.
Anthony Green
Anthony Green is an award-winning writer/director, originally from Memphis, TN but now resides in Ward 7. His collection of short stories, #BlackGayStoriesMatter is available on Amazon. His original stage play, When Boys Exhale debuted last year and his debut film, The Souls of Black Pebbles will be released Summer 2021. He is also the founder of Cagedbirds Productions, which affirms black LGBTQIA+ storytelling.
Benjamin Gorvine
Ben Gorvine, better known by his stage name IHF, captivates listeners around the world with his melodic, atmospheric electronic music. His music first gained traction with the release of his Floating EP in 2014, accumulating millions of streams online. His 2016 sophomore EP release, Departure, solidified his place in the electronic music community as an artist with his own unique sound. One of his more well known tracks, “Evolve”, gained the attention of Google and was used in their 2016 Olympics ad campaign. Ben’s third EP, Oasis, was released April 10, 2020. This project blurs the line between electronic and indie. Relaxed yet stimulating instrumentals accompany Ben’s vocals, which range from driving melodies to background textures. He is currently working on his debut album which is set to release in May.
Daraja Asili
My passions are designing transformative processes, curating creative experiences and connecting people. I am the creator and founder of Happy Trees Entertainment, Inc. and Daraja Consulting, LLC. Through my businesses, I explore the value of creative change -- leaving things better than we found them. I also work with my team to help people discover something inside of themselves that they may not have known existed by way of activating art, culture, and entertainment in unique spaces.
My adventurous spirit has led me near and far. I was born in Michigan and have had the opportunity to live and travel to almost every state in the US as well as some cities abroad including Washington, DC which happens to be one of my favorite cities!
I believe there is a solution to every problem and that every problem is an opportunity for me to grow.
Diane D’Costa
Diane D'Costa [1996, DC] is an educator, organizer, artist local to the DMV. As a queer, brown, jewish woman, she never quite fit into the boxes or expectations society had of her. As an accomplished painter and ceramicist she uses her art to feel, to produce, to process, and to make sense of the battles she goes up against both personally and professionally. Diane is the founding Liberation Design Lab teacher at the Washington DC’s Social Justice School. She is an emerging artist whose work has been featured in the National Cherry Blossom Festival "Art in Bloom" Sculpture Series, the DC womxn creatives popup series Femme Fatale, Virginia Literary Review, and the Q* Anthology of Queer Culture.
Mia DuVall
ARTIST DESIGNER MURALIST
Mia Duvall is best known for her work as a collaborating muralist and art director on some of Washington, DC's most highly regarded and appreciated murals. The work of Mia Duvall is a reflection of a deep love and appreciation for color (and the principles and elements of art and design). Mia uses a variety of mediums in her artwork to express her love of color and color relationships. Her earliest memories of appreciating color were of watching her mother create masterful works of art in coloring books with ordinary crayons."She was so ingenious and gifted with seeing and using color. She inspired my love and appreciation for color. Learning to see and appreciate the vast spectrum of life's colors and the array of ways it occurs and exists (sometimes without us even noticing it) was one of the best gifts my mother has ever given me. My work is a reflection of this gift."
Mia Duvall is a native of the Anacostia area in Washington, DC and is a proud product of the District of Columbia public school system. Mia Duvall is also the founder, principal designer and art director at Mia Duvall Studios.
Michelle Busch
Michelle L. Busch is all things Washington, DC. Born in the District to influential and community-minded parents, she was exposed at a young age to the social and political environment which defined the city. Michelle has worked in three main fields of business - Hospitality, Government Affairs, and Communications - and is continuing to build a solid foundation of trust. Michelle started her own consulting company Event Solution DC and launched Champagne Soul in 2019.
Raeya Cobb
Raeya Cobb is a professional dancer, dance educator, theater technician, folk herbalist, spiritualist, wellness advocate, and the founder of Amulets + Alchemy Botanica.
Vince Van
Vince Van serves as ANC Commissioner for DC’s 7C03 District. Also known as the “Culture’s Pastor” is the founder of the Black Experience Network. Since arriving in Washington DC to pursue a Masters in Divinity, He has maintained the values learned from his childhood– hard work, discipline, respect, and service – to support Florida Avenue Baptist Church (FABC) as an ordained reverend and DC National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as the Religious Affairs Committee Chair. Outside of ministry, Vince worked as a White House Intern in the Office of Presidential Correspondence under the Obama Administration. As the current associate pastor at FABC, Vince empowers people from both a theological and community standpoint. Vince created Black Experience Network because he believes it's important to have a multimedia company that displays the positive stories of the Black culture.
