Amir Browder

Initially resistant to a suggestion to visit the Anacostia Arts Center, Browder, an aspiring fashion entrepreneur, stopped by and soon thereafter secured a location to incubate what will become the first location of HOMME men's boutique.

Melani Douglass

Douglass has lived in the Anacostia neighborhood for over twenty years, and taught GED instruction classes at the ARCH jobs training program. Founder of the Family Arts Museum, she has curated socially engaged art at the Anacostia Arts Center.

Beth Ferraro

Ferraro decided in junior high school to just "go all in for the arts," and traded sports activities for a variety of arts courses. She served as a founding Curator and Creative Director of the Honfleur Gallery, and curated over 80 exhibits.  In her time, Ferraro once met the go-go legend, Chuck Brown, during an exhibit of musical genre.

Anika Hobbs

Hobbs is the founder of Nubian Hueman, one of the first clothing and lifestyle boutiques at the Anacostia Arts Center. She currently operates Niche by Nubian Hueman on the second floor of the Honfleur Gallery.

John Johnson

Johnson is a poet/playwright, a native Washingtonian who has lived in Anacostia for over twenty years, and has performed at the Black Box Theatre with is company, Verbal Gymnastics.

Camille Kashaka

Kashaka, whose passion is theater and expertise is light design, joined the arts center as an event coordinator, and later served as its second director. Her signature exhibit was an exploration of Afrofuturism, "Black Gold."

Lamont Mitchell

A native of the Shaw neighborhood, Mitchell founded Imani Cafe and Catering, which operated on MLK, Jr. Ave. He is the Chairman of the Anacostia Coordinating Council. As an entrepreneur and leader at Union Temple Baptist Church, Mitchell participated in pioneering events at the intersection of arts, culture, and economic development. 

Terence Nicholson

In the spring of Nicholson's senior year at Archbishop Carroll High School, his art teacher suggested that Nicholson apply to the Corcoran School of Art. He prepared a portfolio, was accepted, and began formal training for the art-making he had practiced since childhood. Though music brought him to the Arts Center, Nicholson would serve as a curator at Honfleur Gallery, and Art Director. 

Gbenga Ogunjimi

Ogunjimi is an entrepreneur, founder, and executive director of the Nigerian Center. Housed at the Anacostia Arts Center, the organization supports newly-arrived immigrants, and promotes cultural connection for the Nigerian American community.

Phil Pannell

Phil Pannell moved to Washington, DC, from Newport News by way of New York City, and has lived in and advocated for Ward 8 since the 1980s. Pannell serves as the Executive Director of the Anacostia Coordinating Council, and is an avid supporter of local theatre. 

Nikki Peele

Nikki Peele moved to Congress Heights shortly after graduating from Howard University, and despite promising herself that she would "just" live in the neighborhood, she easily became engaged in civic life. Her commitment led her to serve in a variety of marking and economic development capacities with ARCH development, notably the Managing Director of the HIVE 2.0.

Carolyn Rachel-Price

Raised in Brighton, Alabama, pivotal encouragement and experiences prompted Rachel-Price's dedication to a career in pharmacy. She serves as the Executive Director of the Washington DC Pharmacy Association, which has an office at the HIVE.

Regina Snead

Snead was raised in Anacostia, and is the owner and operator of Baby Einstein Child Development Center. Following displacement from her building, she has utilized office space at the HIVE to dream and plan the next chapter of the center.

Tyrone Shorter

In the late 1990s, Shorter completed an ARCH Development job training program, and has maintained the Anacostia Arts Center building for approximately twenty years. He is one of the most familiar faces -- and voices -- of the center.

Amanda Stephenson

Stephen moved to Anacostia in the early 2000s. She fell in love with the community's warmth, and recognized the inequitable access to quality food east of the Anacostia River.   Raised on a farm, she was familiar with fresh food, and in 2019, opened the first “healthy, local and ethnic retail food store” at the Anacostia Arts Center.

Kate Taylor Davis

Raised in Michigan, Taylor Davis  moved to the District to attend graduate school at American University. She served as the first director of the Anacostia Arts Center (2013-2016), later the Vice President (2016-2017), and launched performance programming for the center.