Corey Shaw, Jr is a DC native with lifelong roots in Ward 7 and is the Director of the DC Legacy Project . As a graduate of both Anacostia Senior High School and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). In this episode, we explore the intersection of land ownership, reparations and architecture in Washington, DC. Corey shares how he was influenced by his family's legacy and the civil rights movement. He highlights poignant stories, such as those of Captain George Pointer, the Harris family and Chevy Chase. Shaw has a passion for comprehending the needs of communities and helping them advocate and mobilize for structural change.

Corey first got his start working with communities in Washington, DC as the Co-Founder of the Black Broad Branch Project. In his capacity as an oral historian and chair of the policy implementation working committee, Shaw has advocated for reparations for two families whose ancestors were displaced from Chevy Chase, DC in 1928. He continues to support the project, engaging with descendants to mobilize a coalition of scholars, DC residents, and community organizations toward the goals of Acknowledgement, Compensation, and Education. With the collective efforts of the coalition, the Black Broad Branch Project has succeeded in constructing educational curriculum for 3rd, 6th, and 12thgrade students in DCPS, testified before the DC City Council, and presented in many forums ranging from the realm of academia to the United Nations. 

Corey has joined the team at Empower DC as the DC Legacy Project Director. His focus is preserving the Barry Farm Historic Landmark which Empower DC won alongside the community in 2020. Shaw manages relationships with key and prospective stakeholders to ensure that a cohesive coalition is invested manifesting the community’s vision of an uplifting space is realized. He has taken the vision for Barry Farm, its history, into spaces across the city to include the Undesign the Redline exhibit, Ward 8 Health Council, and the DC Initiative on Racial Equity. Corey is committed to working alongside the former residents of Barry Farm and the community of Ward 8 to bring a new, dynamic, and enriching resource to Ward 8.