thePeeps
A collective of friends, all with roots and ties to the District of Columbia, theTwelve represents a family of dreamers, visionaries, thinkers, and doers who want to engage our city in life-giving and healing ways. With over 90 years of combined experience in art, design, entrepreneurship, education, retail, and community engagement, we come together to use what’s in our hands in a mission of hope and love. Hello.
CURRY HACKETT
theProfessor
Curry combines architecture, graphic design, and urban design. He is founding principal of Wayside Studio in Washington, DC, collaborating with communities and organizations to engage culture, ecology, and place. Always passing on the knowledge and wisdom, Curry teaches architecture at his alma mater, Howard University.
AMIRA EL-GAWLY
theLover
A multi-hyphenate creator, Amira's life connects the worlds of business, community and creativity. A connoisseur of all things good and beautiful, Amira seeks to reveal the beauty and potential in every human and every space. Though formally trained in the field of journalism and communication, Amira's entrepreneurial journey led her to found Manifesta, transforming the impact of our workplaces through culture, leadership and people strategy. Amira is an advocate for love, meaningful living, nature and all humans.
JOILYN JACKSON
theVisual Commentator
A proud PG native, Joi studied photography at Howard University and spends her time between visual merchandising, creative direction, photography and video work, in addition to running her hauntingly beautiful vintage housewares e-shop, Denniston House.
M.GERT DORIOT
theAnalogger
The consummate aesthete, Gert’s creative expressions range from retail, in the long-running MUTINY DC and NY outposts, to fine arts, visuals and branding. Her current experiment finds her raising a 5-year old budding violinist, brooding baby chickens, and wrangling 3 corgis in the Hudson Valley countryside, all without breaking a sweat.
ALISON BESHAI
allTheThings
Alison is a strategist and creative director whose work seeks to create meaningful dialogue around the impact of design and physical space. Alison is the Founding Principal of Form Function Studio, a creative studio producing design projects focused on space, place and access. Through her studio, Alison has worked with companies and organizations such as Gensler, DC Public Library, Gallaudet University, and Goethe-Institut.
REGGIE BLACK
theO.G.
Reggie is a multimedia artist, designer, speaker, mental health advocate, and principal of all things progressive, a multidisciplinary design studio specializing in creative direction, identity, and branding. Intersecting hand type artistry, graphic design, and abstract painting, his work has exhibited internationally in cities including Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Washington, D.C. Reggie has presented talks at Apple, Advertising Week, TED, and Marble Print + Clay addressing the importance of art, design, technology, mental health, and vulnerability.
BRITNIE DATES
theWriter
Britnie is a writer with interests in fashion history, kinship, and personal narratives. Finding connections in how those shape who we are, she seeks to share the stories of people and moments in time. While serving local retailers in operational roles, Britnie has also found joy in expressing the heart of a brand.
JULIAN BARNES
theArchitect
Julian has nearly 12 years of experience designing civic, educational, and cultural spaces. His works are inspired by his passion for technology, environmental urbanism, and the principles of phenomenology. Julian aims to continue developing his expertise in these areas while shaping sustainable environments and communities that benefit the human experience.
OBIEKWE “OBI” OKOLO
theDistractedOne
A passionate generalist, Obi’s gift is connecting unrelated dots and making it look so easy. Trained in interior architecture, Obi left the field to pursue his own mode of practice, ultimately forming his own agency and modern hobby shop, Stag Creative—bringing together design, print, photography, food, and fine art, while fostering relationships, a consistent practice of creativity, and a culture of rest.
TALYAH ALPERN
theHealing Artist
Talyah has been on parallel and often intersecting pursuits within the healing and visual arts. She is a practitioner of herbalism and folk medicine and has a degree in sculpture/ceramics and dance/performance from Bennington College.
LORI PARKERSON
theConnector
A purveyor of beauty, space creator, and lover of all things weird and wonderful, Lori served as the owner-operator of DC fashion haven, Redeem, for 12 years, and currently serves as co-founder of Selah DC, a non-profit focused on wholeness, rest and connection. Lori moonlights on residential and commercial design projects to incapsulate intention, purpose and peace.