The Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute: A Hidden Gem on U Street By Lester Davis Washington Informer Contributing Writer Mention the District’s historic U Street corridor to some Washington natives and names such as the Bohemian Caverns, Lincoln Theater, and Ben’s Chili Bowl are sure to be among the most cited. But a fairly newcomer – The Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute – is bringing some Asian influence – along with the sense of community involvement – to a place that has traditionally been synonymous with jazz music and fine dinning. [Courtesy Photo - Abdur-Rahim Muhammad is pictured with a group of his students during class instruction.] Founded in 1996 by Abdur-Rahim Muhammad, the institute, which sits at 1351 U St., N.W., offers the city a variety of classes, ranging from Thai Chi to Kung Fu. The students, who vary in ages between five to 70-years-old, can usually be seen sweating, kicking and punching 7 days a week inside the institute. Muhammad, who came to Washington, D.C. from Boston, Mass., in 1976, said he started the institute as a way to teach martial arts and developmental lessons to the community. The goal of the institute “isn’t just to show [students] how to punch and kick. It’s really aimed at molding and shaping,” their lives, Muhammad said. We try “to prepare them to live a meaningful life,” he added. Muhammad said he’s seen U Street transform into an attractive magnet for new community development. While the transformation is welcomed, Muhammad said he hopes the price of operating a center on U Street doesn’t become too pricy. “I came to U Street when a lot of business and homeowners were reluctant to come,” he said. Along with martial arts classes, the institute organizes several community health forums a year. One of the most notable took place April 9 at the Lincoln Theater, when Harry Belafonte praised the institute for “its commitment to the welfare of young people in our nation's capital by its example in confronting the terrors of poverty and illiteracy.” One of the biggest points the institute tries to emphasize, said Muhammad, is the importance of community health – both physically and mentally. “The message we try to share with our students is that we want to keep our children healthy, in school and out of the criminal justice system,” he said. “We put on these events for the immediate good that they have on the community,” Muhammad added. Since its opening, about 20 young people from the Washington, D.C. area have traveled to several countries in Asia for martial arts competitions. Muhammad said that about 80 people participate in classes offered at the institute on a weekly basis.