When the Shaw Community Center shut its doors last October, many families in Washington, D.C.’s historic Shaw neighborhood felt a sudden loss of safe, affordable space for after‑school activities, summer enrichment and community gathering. The center, which had served the area for more than three decades, was housed in the Lincoln Temple United Church of Christ on 11th Street NW.
New tenant, new hope
On Oct. 10, The Elephant Free School opened its doors in the same building, announcing a fall festival to mark the launch of its programming. Founder Dominic T. Moulden, a longtime Shaw activist, said the school aims to fill the gap left by the community center’s closure and to help keep residents rooted in the neighborhood.
“We want to use our resources to keep people in Shaw, and potentially even bring people back,” Moulden told The Informer. “Our goal is to build the political, cultural, and educational power that the community needs.”
Programming for working‑class families
The Elephant Free School’s offerings are geared toward working‑class Black families of all ages. Classes will include creative writing, yoga, tai chi, capoeira, visual art, theater and gardening. Local grassroots groups can apply for grants to run their own workshops, and the school’s library will feature an archive of Moulden’s ethnographic photographs dating back to the mid‑1980s.
Operations manager Khadijah Huggins‑El, a Shaw resident and mother of three, emphasized the school’s commitment to preserving the historic church’s legacy while providing “resilience and education” for the community. She plans to lead walking tours that highlight the building’s connections to figures such as Alexander Crummell, Marian Anderson and Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Community voices
Five‑year‑old Rayne White, a fifth‑grader who grew up spending afternoons at the former Shaw Community Center, expressed how much she misses the space. “It’s been boring, it’s been sad,” she said. “I miss my friends, the teachers, coding, art, cooking, dance, music and karate.” Rayne hopes the new school will bring back the sense of belonging she once felt.
Longtime resident Khadijah Huggins‑El echoed that sentiment, noting the importance of a local hub where children can learn and families can gather without having to travel far from home.
Housing and policy collaboration
Will Merrifield, founder of the Center for Social Housing and Public Investment, sees the school as a think‑tank for addressing the district’s housing crisis. Working with The Elephant Free School, Merrifield plans to involve Shaw residents in drafting a concrete policy document on social housing, moving the conversation beyond slogans to actionable solutions.
“We’re hearing people’s experiences and incorporating them into a curriculum to build political will,” Merrifield said. “We want to ensure Washington, D.C. residents are invested in, not just investors in new buildings.”
Looking ahead
The Elephant Free School’s launch represents a community‑driven response to displacement pressures that have long affected Shaw’s Black families. By offering a mix of cultural, educational and wellness programs, the school hopes to restore the neighborhood’s sense of cohesion and provide a safe, nurturing environment for youth like Rayne.
As the fall festival gets underway, organizers invite residents to explore the new space, meet volunteers and learn how they can get involved in shaping Shaw’s future.
Original reporting: The Washington Informer — read the source article.
