Barry, Cora Masters

Cora Masters Barry, former First Lady of the District of Columbia, is founder of the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, a $5.1 million facility located in Washington, D.C., and the first of its kind in the United States. This program provides tennis instruction and quality educational support for area youths. She is also the Founder and CEO of the Recreation Wish List Committee (RWLC) of Washington, D.C., an organization made up of Washington area business, government and community leaders dedicated to ensuring that every youngster in the city has access to safe and decent recreational facilities, equipment and programs in their own neighborhoods. Ms. Barry is a scholar, strategist, political activist and community activist. She is a former tenured professor of political science at the University of the District of Columbia, where she specialized in Black politics, the Presidency and the Constitution. She has adeptly applied her political knowledge and skills to orchestrate voter-education, registration and mobilization initiatives locally and nationally. And because of her expertise, she has become sought after nationally as a motivational speaker on these topics. She has received numerous awards for her work with young people and for spearheading efforts in voter education.