Legacy is often discussed as something left behind. However, some legacies are built in full view that happen day after day, year after year, through the lives touched, communities strengthened and doors opened for those who follow them.
That kind of living legacy is at the heart of the Catherine W. LeBlanc Legacy Award, presented by the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the National Black MBA Association. This year, the chapter will honor Mrs. Virginia Ali, co-founder of Ben’s Chili Bowl, a woman whose nearly seven decades of entrepreneurship, service and steadfast commitment to Washington make her deserving of such an honor.
“Mrs. Virginia Ali is a sterling example of someone whose lifelong activities created history every day and whose commitment to service embodies the ideals that substantiate ‘legacy’ in an abiding way,” said Catherine W. LeBlanc, the award’s namesake.
Those words capture what makes Ali’s story so remarkable because she did more than simply witness Washington history. She helped create, preserve and sustain it.
For Dr. Carletta S. Hurt, president of the DC Chapter and creator of the Catherine W. LeBlanc Legacy Award, Ali represents precisely why the recognition was established.
“When I created this award, I wanted us to be intentional about honoring women whose leadership has made a lasting difference in our community,” Hurt said. “Legacy is bigger than a title, an award or a moment of recognition. It is what continues because you were here. Mrs. Ali has built a business, but she has also helped preserve a community, created opportunities, welcomed generations of Washingtonians and demonstrated what it means to stay committed to people and place.”
Named for Catherine W. LeBlanc, a respected leader whose career and service have demonstrated a sustained commitment to community, leadership and creating opportunities for others, the award recognizes individuals whose contributions extend beyond personal achievement. It celebrates service that creates a foundation upon which others can build.
“I am so grateful to the Washington DC Chapter of the National Black MBA Association and its President, Dr. Carletta Hurt, for honoring my own legacy and more importantly, providing the opportunity through this award to honor the legacy of others,” LeBlanc said.
For LeBlanc, recognizing such contributions is as much about the future as it is about the past.
“Acknowledging legacy is not only important as an expression of gratitude for services rendered to the persons honored, but more importantly, for showing succeeding generations of young people what is possible for them,” she said.
That message has particular resonance for DC Black MBA, an organization committed to advancing Black professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders in the DMV. Ali’s story offers a powerful business lesson about entrepreneurship that can be both an economic endeavor and an act of community building.
Ben’s Chili Bowl has survived segregation, civil unrest, neighborhood disinvestment, massive construction disruption and dramatic changes to the U Street corridor. Today, the business has expanded beyond its original restaurant, while the Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation continues the family’s tradition of service through youth empowerment, community partnerships and support for local organizations.
“Mrs. Ali reminds us that Black business ownership is bigger than simply opening a business, it is about what we build around that business,” Hurt said. “Ben’s has created jobs, preserved culture, supported the community and given Washington a gathering place where people from every walk of life can sit together. That is the economic impact. That is the social impact. That is a legacy.”
For nearly seven decades, Virginia Ali has been there serving, building, welcoming and persevering. Washington has changed around her, however, her commitment to Washington, DC and the Black community has not.
