Korey Wise, one of the Exonerated Five, joined together with Friends of Public School Harlem and the Migdol Family Foundation to host a holiday gift giveaway Monday in Harlem.
Wise, who was wrongly accused of a crime he didn't commit at the age of 16, was tried as an adult and spent 13 years behind bars before being released and exonerated and receiving a settlement along with the other falsely convicted defendants in the case. Because of the circumstances of his criminal case, Wise gained a new level of public attention with the release of Ava DuVernay's When They See Us. The director, enamored by Wise's philanthropy, tweeted a video segment of the story from PIX11 News with a message of praise.
I wanna be like Korey when I grow up. pic.twitter.com/SRnUU5Fzhq
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) December 24, 2019
According to a report by Amsterdam News, more than 200 families in and around Lehman Village Houses came to meet Wise and select a gift.
“It was great to see the smiles, hear the screams of excitement, and receive the hugs from parents and children,” Wise said to Amsterdam News. “Being here and providing holiday cheer to children and sending a message that somebody cares is a great feeling. I thank the Friends of Public School Harlem and the Migdol Family for making it happen.”
Jerry Migdol, founder of the Migdol Family Foundation and co-host of the event, spoke about how the additional attention brought by Wise will help inspire others to participate in future events.
“We are just happy to be part of this and be able to give back to the community we love. It’s always so much fun to spend time with these kids and make their holiday special. There’s nothing better," Migdol said to Amsterdam News. "We invite everyone to join us for upcoming Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanza events.”
Following his conviction, Wise spent more time behind bars than any of the Exonerated Five, and is the only one of them to still live in Harlem. In addition, Wise made a donation to the Colorado Innocence Project, leading to it being renamed the Korey Wise Innocence Project in honor of his philanthropy.
