Today we’d like to introduce you to TaKeyia Dickens.
Hi TaKeyia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Assembly DC was born from a simple belief: events should do more than bring people together—they should build community, create opportunities, and leave a lasting impact.
After spending years producing large-scale events and leading community partnerships for organizations like the National Cherry Blossom Festival, I realized there was a gap in the industry. Too often, events were treated as one-time moments instead of long-term investments in people and place. I also saw that many organizations struggled to secure sponsorships, build meaningful community partnerships, and create experiences that truly reflected the culture of the communities they served.
In November 2025, my business partner, Roshelle Bournes, and I launched The Assembly DC with a vision to create an agency at the intersection of events, culture, sponsorship, and community. Today, TADC works with Business Improvement Districts, Main Streets, nonprofits, destinations, and brands to produce experiential events, develop sponsorship strategies, and create activations that connect people in meaningful ways.
Although we’re still a young company, we’ve built an incredible team of creatives, event professionals, marketers, and partnership builders who share one mission: to assemble experiences that people don’t just attend; they remember. Every project we take on is grounded in community and the belief that it is one of the most valuable assets any organization can invest in.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all, and honestly, I wouldn’t want people to think entrepreneurship is supposed to be smooth.
One of our biggest challenges has been cash flow. Like many new businesses, we’ve had to balance building a portfolio, establishing credibility as a new agency, and securing long-term clients. There have been moments where we’ve had multiple proposals out, great conversations happening, and exciting opportunities on the horizon, but no immediate revenue coming in. That’s one of the hardest realities of growing a service-based business: you can be busy without being profitable.
Another challenge has been changing the way people think about Washington, DC. For many brands, DC is still viewed as a city of politics, museums, and monuments. We see something entirely different, a city rich with culture, neighborhoods, creators, entrepreneurs, and communities that deserve to be experienced. One of TADC’s missions is to help brands recognize DC as a premier destination for experiential marketing and authentic community engagement.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that building a business requires patience and consistency. Not every meeting becomes a client, and not every proposal becomes a contract. But every conversation builds relationships, strengthens your reputation, and moves you one step closer to the vision you’re building. That’s what keeps me going.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Assembly DC?
The Assembly DC is an experiential agency that helps brands, destinations, and organizations connect with people in ways that are authentic, memorable, and rooted in community.
We specialize in experiential event production, brand activations, sponsorship strategy, and community engagement. Whether we’re producing a neighborhood festival, designing a brand activation, or helping a client secure sponsorships, our goal is always the same: create experiences that people don’t just attend; they remember.
One of the things that truly sets us apart is our belief that community is the new currency. We don’t believe the success of an event should be measured only by attendance numbers or social media impressions. We believe the real measure of success is whether people leave feeling connected to each other, to a place, or to a brand.
We’re also passionate about changing how brands view Washington, DC. Too often, DC is viewed through the lens of politics, museums, and monuments. We know it’s much more than that. It’s a city filled with culture, creativity, neighborhoods, entrepreneurs, artists, and communities that influence conversations around the world. Our mission is to help brands recognize DC as one of the country’s most exciting markets for experiential marketing and to create activations that feel authentic to the city and the people who live here.
Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is that TADC is being built with intention. We’re building a team of strategists, creatives, producers, marketers, and community builders who believe experiences should create lasting impact. Every partnership we pursue, every event we produce, and every sponsorship we secure is rooted in the idea that when you invest in community, everyone wins.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Roshelle and I are lifelong learners, but we’ve realized we learn differently, and that’s one of our greatest strengths as business partners.
I’m usually the one with a business book in my hand. I love reading about leadership, entrepreneurship, marketing, sponsorship, and community building. I’m always asking, “How can we think bigger?” or “How can we do this differently?” A few of my favorite podcasts are How I Built This with Guy Raz and Earn Your Leisure, and The Mel Robbins. They constantly challenge me to think differently about leadership, business, and relationships.
Roshelle helps keep us balanced. She gravitates toward books centered on personal growth, mindset, and emotional well-being. She reminds us that building a successful business also means taking care of ourselves as people. Her perspective has helped us create a healthier approach to entrepreneurship, especially during challenging seasons.
One thing we’ve intentionally started doing is giving ourselves permission to unplug. During the summer, we make it a point to read or listen to something purely for entertainment. Whether it’s a good novel, a true crime podcast, or a series we’ve been wanting to binge, we try to consume content that has absolutely nothing to do with business or self-improvement. As entrepreneurs, it’s easy to feel like every book has to teach you something, but we’ve learned that sometimes the best ideas come when you simply give your mind permission to rest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theassemblydc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theassembly.dc/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theassemblydc
