Marc Broady ’16 has public service in his blood. His grandfather, the Hon. Robert B. Watts ’49 worked as a civil rights lawyer alongside Thurgood Marshall and went on to become the first Black judge on Baltimore’s Municipal Court.
Following in those illustrious footsteps, Broady completed his J.D. at his grandfather’s alma mater in 2016, working during the day as a data and budget specialist for Baltimore City Schools and attending law school at night.
“My memories of law school are very fond,” says Broady, recalling how he felt especially welcomed by legendary faculty member Prof. Larry Gibson, who had been closely associated with Judge Watts.
It was Gibson’s dear friend and mentee, the now deceased U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings ’76, who hired Broady fresh out of law school as a counsel and policy adviser during the congressman’s final three years representing Maryland’s 7th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Cummings assigned Broady to lead the creation of the Baltimore Chapter of former President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative, in which Broady has remained active to honor his mentor. “I want to see it through for him,” he says.
With his ingrained community spirit, Broady also volunteers on multiple boards, including ROCA, a program designed to help high-risk young men transform their lives.
The Baltimore native calls his current position as vice president of community impact for Weller Development Company “a continuation of public service within the private sector.” His job is to act as a bridge between the community and the developer of the Port Covington district in South Baltimore. Broady also spearheads the implementation of an agreement with the city requiring that development of the area includes support for women- and minority-owned business, education initiatives, and affordable housing.
“I don’t expect to leave a larger-than-life legacy like my grandfather and Congressman Cummings did,” says Broady, “but I feel proud to do work that is helping improve the lives of people in the city they both loved.”