Alexis Rodríguez brings 10+ years of nonprofit management experience to HumanitiesDC. As Director of Operations, his responsibilities include finance and accounting, human resources, and operations and administration. Prior to joining the EDCJCC, he served as Managing Director to the Edlavitch DCJCC’s Film and Music programs; as well as working in communications at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Strathmore. He holds an MA in Arts Management from American University and a BA in Marketing from the University of Puerto Rico.
Lexi Schnaser
Originally from the Midwest, Lexi is proud to now call DC her home. She is excited to bring her love of stories and background in the social sciences, journalism, and communications to the work of HumanitiesDC. In her time as the Community Engagement and Communications fellow, Lexi looks forward to digging deeper into the city’s history and celebrating the diverse, joyful, and fearless people of the nation’s capital. In her free time, Lexi can be found crocheting, hanging out in Malcom X park, and cooking for friends.
Denzell Spencer
Denzell Spencer is the Northeast Director of Philanthropy at FoodCorps. As a nonprofit fundraiser and educator, he has a decade of experience in the public sector. Denzell began his career as a DCPS English teacher and then taught at a charter school in Brooklyn, NY. He holds a BA in English from Howard University and earned his MPA from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Denzell lives in Ward 6 where he enjoys attending art and culture events in his community.
Dawn Fong
Dawn Fong is the Program Manager for 202Creates, where she oversees initiatives that nurture and spotlight the creative economy in Washington, D.C. She previously served as the Managing Director of The Ujiri Foundation, which operates Giants of Africa, where she contributed to the growth of a nonprofit that uses basketball as a tool to educate and empower African youth. Dawn also held a key role at BET Networks as an Executive Assistant, supporting C Suite executives and managing complex projects. With a passion for creativity and community, Dawn continues to make a significant impact in every role she takes on.
Nia Crawford
Nia Crawford, a Washington, D.C. native, is deeply passionate about creating dynamic, community-driven programs. Currently serving as the Outreach Coordinator at the African American Civil War Memorial Museum, Nia brings her expertise in fostering inclusive and engaging programming to her work. With a background in Women and Gender Studies and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from George Washington University, Nia has developed a strong expertise in crafting engaging, inclusive programming that brings people together. She excels in leading educational and cultural initiatives that inspire growth and foster collaboration, with a focus on developing impactful, accessible experiences for diverse audiences.
Luke Sutherland
Luke Sutherland is a trans writer, editor, and librarian. He has studied at the Tin House Winter Workshop and the Yale Writers’ Workshop. His chapbook Distance Sequence (forthcoming from Neon Hemlock Press) won the OutWrite 2023 Chapbook Contest in Nonfiction. He was a finalist for the SmokeLong Quarterly Award, the Black Warrior Review Contest, and the Larry Neal Writers’ Award. His work has appeared in smoke and mold, ANMLY, Bright Wall/Dark Room, MQR: Mixtape, and more. Luke also runs a DC-based trans writing group and micropress, Lilac Peril. You can find him online as @lukejsuth.
Tracy Chiles McGhee
Tracy Chiles McGhee is an award-winning, multi-genre author, cultural curator, and community builder with a commitment to exploring and celebrating the narratives of the African Diaspora. As the author of the novel, “Melting the Blues,” which received multiple awards, McGhee’s work is rooted in themes of cultural remembrance, expression, and healing. She founded My Published Book and WoMANIFESTING, initiatives aimed at amplifying women’s voices. McGhee’s leadership roles extend to advising and supporting several organizations, demonstrating her dedication to fostering the arts, community engagement, and raising the visibility of marginalized communities. A graduate of Catholic University Law School and Georgetown University, Tracy Chiles McGhee resides in Washington, DC.
Kristy L
Kristy L is a cultural organizer, artist, and emerging scholar in Washington DC. Her current projects focus on the history, politics, and world-making practices of DC’s Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ cultural communities, explored via personal archives and intergenerational events.
Her current project, “Cultural Waves,” is a zine series dedicated to chronicling the vibrant history of women and gender-expansive DJs in Washington, DC. Collaging together mini oral history interviews and materials from DJs’ personal archives, the project explores the journeys, influences, and cultural impact of DJs from the 1970s through the 1990s. With a focus on DC’s communities of color and their cultural and creative legacies, ”Cultural Waves” uses illustration and zine traditions to create a visually and historically captivating DIY publication that can educate and inspire. It amplifies the voices and celebrates the contributions of gender minority DJs in DC’s music scenes. Culminating in a public program featuring panel discussions and a zine release party, we come together to cultivate intergenerational dialogue and preserve this vital aspect of DC’s cultural heritage.
Dwayne Lawson-Brown
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Dwayne Lawson-Brown, aka the Crochet Kingpin, is an author, playwright, and arts administrator for the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Dwayne has performed and hosted at many venues including The Kennedy Center, Woolly Mammoth Theater, Keegan Theater, The Strathmore, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and Spit Dat DC. Crowned 2021 DMV “Male Poet Of The Year” – ultimately, Dwayne’s goal is to invite folks to feel again.
Urmila Janardan
Urmila is a documentarian, organizer, and researcher, interested in understanding systems of oppression and documenting the people building alternatives. They have worked as a production assistant since 2019 and are in post-production of their first short film, “Ma Granite” (working title). The film follows a group of climbers in Hyderabad, India for three months as they fight to preserve their local crag from illegal encroachment. As an organizer, Urmila is a member of Ward 1 Mutual Aid—a community-led effort to take care of each other and keep DC as safe as possible; as well as Libereaders—a Black and radical mutual aid library that distributes free literature. As a policy researcher, they work to understand and mitigate the ways technology and automated decision-making can materially harm people. Urmila performs improv at the Washington Improv Theater and enjoys forging, cooking and swimming at Banneker pool.