Few neighborhoods in the District are as emblematic of the rapid changes that have swept through the city during the past few decades as those in Shaw and along the U Street corridor. When Kojo lived in Shaw years ago, he shared a block with both a vibrant black middle class and with those engaged in the city’s drug trade. The same neighborhood is now home pricey condos and restaurants boasting expensive craft cocktail menus.

This Thursday, you can hear Kojo reflect on his time in the neighborhood with an author an academic whose new book explores the drastic changes that have taken place there. Kojo will interview Derek Hyra, author of “Race, Class, and Politics in the Cappuccino City,” at 6:30 p.m. at the Busboys and Poets restaurant at 14th and V St. NW.

The event is part of the newly-relaunched WAMU Books series and hosted in partnership with Politics and Prose. Kojo and other station personalities will be interacting with authors at local bookstores in several locations in the weeks and months to come.  You can find more information about the series here, and we hope to see you there at Busboys later this week.