Each year, Georgetown awards the John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award to an emerging local leader to reinforce the university’s commitment to engagement within Washington, D.C., and to identify talent among the city’s most inspirational community leaders who are working to solve key issues that are responsible for shaping the city and the people who live in it. Since 2003, the award, named for the legendary Georgetown head basketball coach emeritus, Washington, D.C. native, mentor, advocate and community leader – John Thompson Jr., has been awarded to civil rights icons, children’s rights advocates and other humanitarians. In 2012, the university began awarding local leaders to reinforce the Georgetown’s commitment to engagement within Washington, D.C.
Georgetown presented the 2022 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award to Khari Brown, chief executive officer of Capital Partners for Education (CPE). CPE is a 29-year-old nonprofit organization that mentors low-income high school and college students from the Washington, DC area toward economic mobility. Khari has served as CPE’s executive director since 2001 and became CEO in 2015.
Beginning as the nonprofit’s only employee, Khari has since built CPE from a niche program that reached only 50 students per year to an organization that supports 500 students and has tripled its student body over the past five years. CPE has helped its students overcome the barriers that limit most low-income students, and, under Khari’s leadership, the organization has seen 61% of its graduates complete college on time, a rate that is nearly three times that of similar students nationally. Most recently, Khari co-founded the Talent for Tomorrow Alliance, a new network of five organizations that prepare local young adults for economic mobility through career preparatory and higher education programming opportunities. He is also a member of the 2021 Class of Leadership Greater Washington’s signature program, an intensive 10-month program that exposes professionals to regional civic issues through education, connection and knowledge sharing.
Khari received both his bachelor’s degree in American studies and master’s degree in education from Tufts University. A former professional basketball player, Khari has dedicated his career to expanding educational opportunities for low-income youth. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and two school-aged children.
Georgetown Awards DC Leader for Making Food Equity More Than a Dream
December 15th, 2020
Christopher Bradshaw, founder and executive director of Dreaming Out Loud, a food justice social enterprise, will be honored as Georgetown’s 2021 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award recipient.
House of Ruth Leader Named 2020 Legacy of a Dream Awardee
November 26th, 2019
Sandra Jackson, executive director of House of Ruth, was honored as Georgetown’s 2020 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award recipient.
Leader of One Common Unity Named 2019 Legacy of a Dream Awardee
November 20th, 2018
Hawah Kasat, co-founder and executive director of One Common Unity (OCU), was honored as Georgetown’s 2019 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award recipient at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Vulnerable D.C. Children, Families Helped by 2018 Legacy of a Dream Award Winner Steve Park of Little Lights Urban Ministries
November 17th, 2017
Georgetown named Little Lights Urban Ministries executive director Steve Park as its 2018 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award recipient.
D.C. Immigration Advocate Named 2017 Legacy of a Dream Recipient
November 28th, 2016
Abel Enrique Núñez, executive director of the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), was honored as Georgetown’s 2017 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award recipient at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Legacy of a Dream Winner Trains Allies to Serve D.C. Nonprofits
November 14th, 2015
Alumna Nakeisha Neal Jones (G’02), executive director of Public Allies DC, was honored as Georgetown’s 2016 John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award recipient at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
