08/28/2026
In Loving Memory of Denise Washington,
The National Center of Afro-American Artists joins Denise Washington's family, friends, and the wider Boston arts community in celebrating a life devoted to art, culture, and service. Denise was, in every sense, one of our own: a student of the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts, a lifelong member of the Black Nativity family, and a dedicated contributor to our annual Juneteenth program.
Denise's journey with the National Center of Afro-American Artists began in childhood, as a student at the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts. She trained under the vision of our founder, Elma Lewis, and discovered the artistic gifts that would shape the rest of her life. It was there that she first took the stage in Black Nativity, the Center's beloved annual production, as a child performer.
That early experience blossomed into a lifetime of service to Black Nativity and to this institution. Over the decades, Denise moved fluidly between the stage and behind the scenes. She often took on roles that reflected both her artistry and her reliability: backstage support, Assistant to the Producer under Mr. John Andrew Ross and Dr. Elma Lewis, Assistant to the Stage Manager, and Assistant to Executive Director Ms. Voncille Ross. Few members of our extended family gave so much, for so long, in so many capacities.
The artistic foundation she built at the Elma Lewis School carried Denise far beyond Boston. In pursuit of her creative dreams, she spent time in California, working as a production coordinator on the HBO show "Arliss" and other television productions in Hollywood. Yet her heart never strayed far from home, and she returned to Boston to continue building the community that had shaped her.
Denise's commitment to community extended well beyond the Black Nativity stage. As a member of the Juneteenth Committee, she helped shape and sustain the Boston Juneteenth Committee and the National Center of Afro-American Artists' annual Juneteenth program. She contributed her time and talents to ensure that this vital celebration of freedom, history, and culture continued to serve and inspire our community year after year.
The values Denise absorbed at the Elma Lewis School, that art is inseparable from community, and that culture is something built together, carried through everything she did beyond our walls as well, as a playwright and published poet, as the founder of the Pop-Up Poetry Series, and as a devoted teacher in the Boston Public Schools. In every room she entered, Denise brought the same spirit she brought to Black Nativity and to Juneteenth, including generosity, discipline, and an unshakable belief in the power of community.
The National Center of Afro-American Artists extends its deepest condolences to Denise's family and loved ones. Her decades of dedication to our mission, as a student, performer, staff member, and community builder, leave a lasting mark on this institution and on everyone who had the privilege of working beside her. We hold her in our hearts as we carry her legacy of art and community forward.
