2024 Community Impact Award Recipients

The Gatsby Showcase Foundation Announces The 2024 Community Impact Award Recipients

The 2024 Gatsby Showcase Community Impact Award recipients are Cora Masters Barry is the former First Lady of Washington, D.C and our 2021 Gatsby Showcase inaugural ambassador and Melanie L. Campbell, a powerful and prolific Women’s, Civil, and Community Rights Advocate and Activist.

 
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Cora Masters Barry

Cora Masters Barry is the former First Lady of Washington, D.C., and widow of Marion Barry, Jr., known as the “Mayor for Life” and first Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). As the founder and CEO of the Recreation Wish List Committee (RWLC), she established the Southeast Tennis & Learning Center (SETLC), a $50 million facility that has supported over 40,000 youth in D.C.’s Ward 8.

A product of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, Mrs. Barry holds degrees from Texas Southern University and Howard University. She is a former Political Science professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Her parents, Dr. Isabelle Masters, a pioneering woman presidential candidate, and Alfred Masters, the first African American to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, greatly influenced her path.

An active advocate for community, civil, and women’s rights, Mrs. Barry has advised numerous leaders and was a prominent figure in protests for voting rights legislation. Her community health initiative, “Don’t Miss Your Shot,” provided COVID-19 vaccines to 1,000 residents of Ward 8, addressing health disparities in the area.

Mrs. Barry has received numerous accolades, including the Mayor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Arts Education for her production “Blacks N Wax,” which showcases young performers depicting African American icons at venues such as the Kennedy Center and the White House. She was also awarded the “Beacon of Light Award” by Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Rodham Foundation.

She broke barriers as the first woman to lead the Million Man March Voting Rights Movement and as the first woman Chairman of the D.C. Boxing Commission and Executive Committee member of the World Boxing Council. Her work in tennis has earned her the USTA’s NJTL Founders’ Service Award, recognizing her commitment to youth development through tennis and education.

Currently, Mrs. Barry serves on the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Board of Directors for the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, and the Black Women’s Roundtable. She is a founding member of #WinWithBlackWomen and has been named a “Senior Influencer” by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

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Melanie L. Campbell

Melanie L. Campbell is a dynamic and influential advocate for women’s, civil, and community rights, serving as President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and Convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable. Celebrating over 25 years with the National Coalition, Ms. Campbell has advised U.S. Presidents, members of Congress, and leaders across corporate, labor, non-profit, philanthropic, and faith sectors on key issues impacting African-Americans and women. Known for her expertise in coalition building, she has successfully led multi-million dollar initiatives focused on civic engagement, voter empowerment, and policy-based campaigns.

Each year, Ms. Campbell releases the Black Women’s Roundtable Report on the status of Black women during the National Summit, held in March for Women’s History Month, and presents an annual public policy agenda to Congress on Capitol Hill. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Clark Atlanta University, an HBCU, and a Certificate in Non-Profit Executive Management from Georgetown University. She is a recipient of numerous awards and honors, including recognition as a member of the inaugural Progressive Women’s Voices class by the Women’s Media Center and as an alumna of the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Institute of Politics at Harvard University.

Under her leadership, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation has contributed to registering hundreds of thousands of new voters across the United States, in partnership with other women’s organizations. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan organization, the National Coalition is committed to boosting civic engagement and voter participation among African-Americans and underserved communities. Founded in 1976, the National Coalition remains a trusted convener and facilitator of local, state, and national efforts to address the disenfranchisement of marginalized communities through initiatives in voter empowerment, leadership development, women’s health and wellness, grassroots organizing, and disaster recovery.

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