We are artists, architects, researchers and West Philadelphia residents with the same motivating vision: multi-generational, shared living spaces and shared stories can help build and strengthen our community.

Meet the Team

  • Dr. Ayana Allen-Handy

    Principal Investigator
    Founder/Director, Justice-Oriented Youth Education Lab (The JoY Lab) | Department Chair, Policy, Organization, and Leadership | Associate Professor, School of Education, Drexel University

  • Susan Brooks

    Professor of Law and Co-Founder
    Stern Community Lawyering Clinic

  • Jahyonna Brown

    Undergrad Research Fellow
    JoY Lab

  • Marielosa Carambo

    PhD Student Research Fellow
    JoY Lab

  • Keyssh Datts

    Community Researcher & Youth Engagement
    JoY Lab

  • Stephanie Dorenbosch

    Assistant Director
    Stern Community Lawyering Clinic

  • De'Wayne Drummond

    Civic Lead
    President & Founding Executive Board Member, Mantua Civic Association

  • Dr. Damaris Dunn

    Post-Doctoral Researcher
    JoY Lab

  • Noel Gantt

    AmeriCorps VISTA
    Writers Room

  • Allen Glicksman

    Advisor
    Embedded Researcher, New Courtland Aging Services

  • Marybeth Gonzales

    Advisor
    Deputy Director for Policy, Planning, and Performance Management, City of Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services

  • Andrew Goodman

    Advisor
    Director of Equitable Development, Office of Council member Jamie Gauthier

  • Rose Gray

    Advisor
    Senior Vice President of Community and Economic Development, Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha 

  • Jessica Green

    Operations Manager
    Writers Room

  • Tamara Hawkins

    Community Researcher
    JoY Lab

  • Tiffani Hurst

    PhD Student Research Fellow
    JoY Lab

  • George Jenkins

    Youth Workforce Development
    Green Building Program Coordinator, YouthBuild Philadelphia

  • UK Jung

    Co-housing & Co-design
    Principal, Studio HADA | Adjunct Professor, Department of Architecture, Design & Urbanism, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University

  • Dr. Kirsten Kashock

    Arts & Social Cohesion Lead
    Fellow, Writers Room

  • Dr. Youngmoo Kim

    Advisor
    Vice Provost, University & Community Partnerships, Drexel University

  • Haley Kowal

    Research Coordinator
    Education Programs Manager, JoY Lab

  • Charles Lomax

    Development Partner
    Chairman and CEO, Lomax Real Estate Partners

  • Hanna Love

    Advisor
    Fellow, Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking, Bookings Institute

  • Larry Manson

    Advisor
    Chief Executive Officer, Diversity Capital

  • Carol Richardson McCullough

    Community Researcher
    JoY Lab | Archivist & AmeriCorps Seniors Researcher, Writers Room

  • Rebecca Rose Metzger

    Community Researcher
    JoY Lab

  • D.S. Nicholas

    Creative & Healthy Aging Research
    Founding Director, Drexel Design Research for Health | Director, Design Research MS | Associate Professor, Architecture, Design & Urbanism, Drexel University

  • Abraham Reyes Pardo

    Advisor
    Vice President, Office of Housing and Diversion Services, Urban League of Philadelphia

  • Victoria Huggins Peurifoy

    Community Engagement Liaison
    AmeriCorps Seniors Researcher, Writers Room

  • Teddy Ponemen

    Programs Manager
    Writers Room

  • Gabriele Preston

    Teaching Artist
    Writers Room

  • Ioana Racu

    Student & Alumni Engagement Liason
    Writers Room

  • K. Rose Samuel-Evans

    Community Researcher
    JoY Lab

  • Sofie Seymour

    Arts Operations Coordinator
    Writers Room

  • Dr. Kimberly Sterin

    Post-Doctoral Researcher & Manager of Research Operations
    JoY Lab

  • Sharon Tindall

    African American Quilter & Historian
    CEO, Quilts by Sharon

  • Andrea Walls

    Lead Artist
    Founder, Museum of Black Joy

  • Dr. Faith Washington

    Advisor
    Clinical Psychologist and Mantua Resident

  • Rachel Wenrick

    Project Lead & Co-Investigator
    Founding Director, Writers Room | Executive Director, Arts & Civic Innovation, University & Community Partnerships | Associate Teaching Professor of English, Drexel University

  • Dr. Christopher Wright

    Co-Investigator
    Co-Founding Director, In/formal Learning Linking Engineering, Science, & Technology Lab (The ILLEST Lab) | Associate Dean, Diversity Equity and Inclusion | Associate Professor, School of Education, Drexel University

  • Dr. Andrew Zitcer

    Evaluator
    Program Director, Urban Strategy MS | Associate Professor, Arts Administration, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University