Wake the idea.

Make it shine.

Every event we host is designed with intention, from the atmosphere we create to the way each session flows.

About Us

Sunwake Creative is a Hyattsville-based creative studio focused on developing ideas, telling stories, and creating place-based artistic experiences. It’s an evolving body of work exploring how ideas move in the real world through projects that sit between community, culture, and strategy.

“Sunwake” refers to both first light and the trace left by the movement of water.

This practice also extends into select collaborations, offering creative direction and consulting for projects that align.

Our Services

  • Research & Interview Support

    Research and story development for creative, editorial, and cultural projects. From sourcing references and conducting field research to shaping interviews and oral histories, this work uncovers the details, perspectives, and connective threads that give a project depth, texture, and staying power.

  • Narrative Nonfiction & Writing

    Blending research, observation, and narrative storytelling, these pieces are crafted to feel immersive, emotionally resonant, and deeply human, whether for publications, personal projects, or creative collaborations.

  • Workshops & Facilitation

    Facilitated conversations and creative gatherings designed to spark reflection, dialogue, and new ways of thinking. Available for writing workshops, community discussions, and small-group sessions centered around storytelling, creativity, culture, and lived experience.

  • 1:1 Sunwake Sessions (60 min)

    Collaborative working sessions for creatives, founders, and people in transition seeking clarity, momentum, or a sounding board. These sessions provide dedicated space to think deeply, solve complex challenges, refine opportunities, and make meaningful progress.

    Together, we'll examine what's working, identify what's holding you back, and develop practical strategies that align with your goals, values, and vision.

Project scope and pricing available upon inquiry.
Limited sliding scale availability for artists, organizers, and community-based work.

Collaborators

  • Jihan Asher

    STUDIO LEAD

    Jihan Asher (she/her) is the founder of Sunwake Creative. Her work supports artists, organizations, and communities in moving from inspiration to execution through accessible, practical frameworks. With a background in creative strategy and community engagement, she designs experiences that center clarity, possibility, and action.

    She holds an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Connecticut and a B.A. in History from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a background in creative writing through the Jimenez-Porter Writers House.

  • Viviana Cano

    EVENT DESIGNER

    Viviana Cano is an event production professional and creative entrepreneur based in the DMV. She brings a sharp eye for detail and a deep commitment to intentional experiences, from large-scale event operations to intimate brand moments. Her work spans vendor coordination, stakeholder communications, and event production strategy, with a background that includes collaborations with major organizations across the DMV.

    Viviana’s approach is rooted in her Colombian heritage and a belief that the spaces we create should reflect the communities they serve. Alongside her production work, she is focusing on content creation centered on beauty, travel, and lifestyle, exploring how everyday experiences become stories worth sharing.

  • Kassamira Carter-Howard

    ARTIST

    Kassamira Carter-Howard (she/her) is a Black queer multidisciplinary artist, healing justice and sound medicine practitioner, whose practice moves at the intersection of dreaming, community-rooted artmaking, and collective care.

    Her recent work includes community-based mural projects, free sound meditation spaces, and archival projects that bridge ancestral memory with public practice. Through her facilitation and visual storytelling, she activates community presence and collective authorship—inviting others to imagine and co-create liberatory futures.

  • Allison Guzman

    CLIMATE INSIGHT LEAD

    Allison Guzman’s work focuses on understanding the relationships between people, ecosystems, and the built environment, using data-driven insights to shape healthier, more sustainable communities.

    With a background in environmental research, she translates complex ecological concepts into accessible, actionable strategies that inform public art, green infrastructure, and community design.

Get in Touch

Whether you have a question, an idea, or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help.