Meet the Makers: xN Studio & The Life Cleanse
By Marilyne Njuraita
On October 1, ìpàdé – DC’s first co-working space and community of support designed for Black women and women of color entrepreneurs, professionals, and creatives – hosted their first Makers’ Market featuring women- and people of color-owned businesses.
Prior to the event, the makers and creators shared words of wisdom with ìpàdé founder, Elizabeth Gay on Instagram Live. Read their stories and get to know them below!
xN Studio
Nasozi with her latest finds from Morocco.
Nasozi Kakembo, owner and founder of xN Studio, was born and raised in the D.C. area but she traces her family roots to Uganda. She grew up around East African decor because of her father’s heritage and because her mother worked in an African art gallery in Georgetown. Exposure to art and artifacts in her youth sparked her love of architecture, art, and home decor.
Nasozi studied architecture and art history in undergraduate school where she took an urban planning class that made her realize she wanted to use art to address socioeconomic issues in Africa. Now, she travels to Africa often where she connects with artisans in more than 10 countries.
Nasozi hopes to use her business to raise awareness and highlight the talent present on the African continent. She sources her goods from the many countries she has traveled to, most recently including Kuba cloth from Congo and hand-woven baskets from Zimbabwe and Uganda. Every textile has a history and rich traditions behind them and Nasozi is committed to sharing that with the world. She is working on a book about traditional African objects that show up in contemporary designs and spaces. You can follow her travels as she works on her book on Instagram @xnstudio_.
“I use my company as an engine for economic opportunity and, at the same time, raise the profile of the genius of traditional African artisans.”
Watch the full IG Live here.
The Life Cleanse
Nache with a customer purchasing The Life Cleanse.
Nache is the author of The Life Cleanse Journal which she created in her 20s while reflecting on different aspects of her life. She found utility in the process of writing down what was working, what wasn’t working, her accomplishments, and her goals for the present and future.
In The Life Cleanse, the reader is urged to think critically about the different aspects of their lives: personal, growth, health, relationships, finances, travel, family, and career to name a few. Each chapter urges the reader to set goals and make action plans that guide them to a fulfilling life.
The act of simply writing down her goals caused Nache to start planning and take action to make them come true even if the journal was quickly tucked away. Though some of her clients and customers may not want to write in the journal at first, once they do it helps them focus on what they want in the future and begin transformational conversations. Nache has seen women make more space for themselves, pursue their passions, and live a more balanced life.
“People are usually on go mode, handling daily tasks and activities, so this book was created to give people just a little time to themselves. Taking time to reflect gives people a lot of clarity and helps them figure out where they want to go next.”
Watch the full IG Live here.
Join us at the Dupont Circle Holiday Market on December 3rd from 12-5 PM ET! RSVP: bit.ly/ipadeholidaymarket.