Join EmpowerDC and the DC History Center for a screening of a sequel to the 2023 Barry Farm documentary which brings the story of Black-led struggle for land and housing into the present.
Barry Farm: A Conversation Across Generations asks viewers: what makes a community? Through intergenerational interviews between members of Campbell AME Church and Roosevelt High School students, this short film is a reflection on love, memory, displacement, and the urgent need to preserve community voices.
After the 25-minute screening, attendees will discuss the documentary themes with the filmmakers in small groups. Together, we’ll consider meaningful changes we can make and actions we can take in our own communities.
Barry Farm: A Conversation Across Generations is a powerful intergenerational documentary that traces the history, heart, and future of one of Washington DC’s most storied Black communities. Through the voices of former residents—now in their 80s and 90s—and the reflections of present-day students, this film honors the legacy of the Barry Farm Dwellings, a public housing community built in the 1940s for Black families during a time of segregation and systemic exclusion.
Narrated by Corey Shaw, Jr., a native Washingtonian and organizational historian with Empower DC, the film weaves together rare archival footage, historical photographs, and candid conversations. From the role of the church as a pillar of activism and community, to the everyday joys and struggles of family life in Barry Farm, the film invites viewers to witness a history often overlooked.
This is more than a documentary about a single neighborhood—it is a reflection on love, memory, displacement, and the urgent need to preserve community voices. It is a call to action for all of us to listen, learn, and ensure that the people who lived this history are the ones telling it.
Presented by: LMSvoice Productions Produced by: Renée Edwards and Sarah Shoenfeld Directed by: Joseph Green Cinematography and Camera by: Conrado Muluc Narrated by: Corey Shaw, Jr. Edited by: Pooja Kapdia Runtime: 24 mins Year: 2025