¡Nos casamos!

Alex and Shawnie met in Washington, DC in 2020, brought together by shared work at the Human Rights Campaign. What started as a casual coffee between new colleagues quickly became something more when Alex was invited to Shawnie’s birthday just a week later. From the beginning, there was an ease – an understanding that grew from being part of the same movement and believing deeply in the same values. As the world shifted, Alex and Shawnie chose connection. They became one another’s COVID bubble – along with Bill, Shawnie’s beloved shih tzu, and Alex’s roommates – finding creative ways to spend time together, from socially distanced walks to late-night phone calls and shared playlists that became the soundtrack of their adventures. Alex biked across DC to meet up, they showed up for their community side by side, and somewhere between organizing, laughter, and long conversations, love quietly and steadily took hold. Over time, they began shaping each other’s worlds. Alex encouraged more time outdoors – in the trees, fresh air, and finding time to pause – while Shawnie introduced Alex to breweries, sneaker stores, and a steady, grounding presence that reshaped what love could feel like. At the heart of their relationship is a shared commitment to justice and to building a life rooted in community, intention, and care – values that shape their work, their partnership, and the future they’re building together. After four years of traveling the world together for work and adventure, their bond only deepened. In the fall of 2024, Alex brought Shawnie to Spain for her very first time. It quickly became a place where love felt expansive and certain. It was there that they each asked the other to build a future together. Now, in August 2026, they can’t wait to return to Spain – this time under a total eclipse – to celebrate that love with all of you, in the place where they both said yes, surrounded by community and joy.