Former mayor and current councilmember, Vincent Gray is a lifelong D.C. resident. He was born in D.C.'s Freedman's Hospital, now known as Howard University Hospital. Gray was raised in the Shaw neighborhood in northwest D.C. Because the Gray family valued education, Vincent Gray excelled in the DC Public Schools system. In addition to performing well academically, Gray became known for his athletic prowess, especially in baseball. Although Gray was scouted by two Major League teams, he chose to forego baseball and attend George Washington University (GW). While enrolled at GW, Gray became the first African American to join the Tau Epsilon Phi service fraternity and first person to serve as Chancellor for two consecutive years. Gray's career path aligned to his mission of public service. Gray first began employment with Arc of D.C. In 1991, Gray was appointed as D.C. Director of Human Services by then mayor, Sharon Pratt Kelly. Afterward, in 1994, Gray became the founding executive director of Covenant House. Following a triumphant 2004 political campaign, Gray was sworn in as the Ward 7 City Council member in 2005. Two years later, following a campaign focusing on unifying D.C.'s various racial and economic groups, Gray was elected Chairman of the City Council. In the beginning of January 2011, he began his term as the District of Columbia's sixth elected mayor. In 2016, and again in 2020, Gray returned to the Council of the District of Columbia as the Ward 7 representative. Gray, a self-proclaimed old school hand dancer, has often advocated sustaining D.C. Hand Dance. Gray, who learned to dance in people's basements, states that he proudly learned this dance from others. Once a regular dancer at the Chateau Nightclub, Gray has been recorded displaying his moves at festivals and in recreation centers. He has referred to hand dancing as being both 'creative and artistic'. Gray stated that 'Hand dancing is a part of what D.C. is'.